Display control device, method, program, and integrated circuit

ABSTRACT

The display control device is a display control device which receives a signal from the operating device having a touchpad and generates screen data to be displayed on a screen, the display control device including: a touch information detecting unit ( 201 ) which detects touch information including position information about a position on the touchpad that is touched with a finger of a user during operation of the touchpad; a direction determining unit ( 203 ) which determines a direction intended by the user, using a characteristic which is indicated by the touch information detected by the touch information detecting unit ( 201 ) and which results from the operation on the touchpad with the finger; and a screen data generating unit ( 205 ) which generates the screen data depending on the direction determined by the direction determining unit ( 203 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a display control device which receivessignals from an operating device having a touchpad a user operates witha user's finger, and generates screen data to be displayed on a screen.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, CE (Consumer Electronics) apparatuses such as digitalTV (digital televisions) and BD (Blu-ray Disc) recorders have variousfunctions thanks to compatibility with network and the like. As aresult, applications have been increasing which do not providesufficiently comfortable operability in screen display apparatuseshaving operating devices such as conventional remote-control devices(remote control).

For instance, as an application used by a screen display apparatus,there is a web browser for browsing contents on the Internet.Furthermore, examples of such an application include a picture viewerfor browsing, using a digital TV or a BD recorder, image data recordedon an SD (Secure Digital) card or the like. Moreover, the examples ofthe application include a keyboard application for inputting a searchstring when search or the like is performed with the web browser or thelike.

There has been a growing need for new screen display apparatuses whichare flexibly compatible with network-compatible applications to be newlydeveloped in the future, in addition to such an application, and have ahigh operability.

For example, as an implementation of the new screen display apparatuses,there is a screen display apparatus which includes an operating devicehaving a touchpad instead of a remote control having a conventionalfixed hardware key. Such a screen display apparatus allows free pointingon a GUI (Graphical User Interface) displayed on a screen of a digitalTV or the like. A cursor displayed on the GUI (a pointer indicating anoperation position on the GUI) is designed to move in response to anoperation of a user trailing a user's finger on the touchpad.

Consequently, the user can operate the GUI without looking at the user'shand, and thus can intuitively operate various applications without acomplex operation and memorization of an arrangement of the hardware keyof the screen display apparatus.

Among such new screen display apparatuses, there is a screen displayapparatus including an operating device which is top-bottom andleft-right symmetrical. The user can freely operate the screen displayapparatus without concern for a direction to which the operating deviceis held (which side of the operating device the user recognizes as ananterior direction while holding the operating device) and a hand of theuser with which the operating device is held (with which one of righthand and left hand the operating device is held). Even when the userholds the operating device in any direction, such a new screen displayapparatus needs to properly control and display the cursor on the GUI inresponse to the operation of the user.

In the meantime, there are several techniques known as a technique ofchecking a direction of the operating device included in theconventional screen display apparatus. It is to be noted that when theoperating device is physically integrated with the screen displayapparatus, the direction of the operating device is the same as that ofthe screen display apparatus.

For instance, PTL 1 discloses, as the screen display apparatus, a mobileterminal which a user can operate with one hand.

The mobile terminal includes a state detecting unit which checks a stateof the mobile terminal such as which part of the mobile terminal is held(also referred to as gripped) and which directions are upward anddownward directions (upper and lower directions) of the mobile terminal.The state detecting unit checks the state of the mobile terminal, usinga contact sensor (also referred to as a pressure sensor, grippingsensor, or touch sensor) and a gravity sensor (also referred to as anacceleration sensor) that are attached to the mobile terminal. Themobile terminal then determines a display direction of a screen usingthe state detection result of the state detecting unit.

In other words, the mobile terminal checks its direction based on thedetection results of the contact sensor and the gravity sensor.

PTL 2 discloses, as the screen display apparatus, a mobile terminalapparatus which makes it possible to switch between display directionsof a display unit in response to a button operation of a user or a stateof holding the mobile terminal apparatus by the user. A pressure sensorwhich is provided to a peripheral part of the mobile terminal apparatusdetects the state of holding the mobile terminal apparatus by the user.In other words, the mobile terminal apparatus checks its direction basedon the clear instruction from the user or the detection result of thestate of holding by the pressure sensor.

PTL 3 discloses, as the screen display apparatus, an electronic paperdevice of which outer peripheral part includes touch sensors, and whichmakes it possible to optimize a display direction depending on a way auser holds the electronic paper device.

PTL 3 discloses a technique of checking the direction of the electronicpaper device using the touch sensors, which is the same as thetechniques disclosed by PTL 1 and PTL 2. However, PTL 3 indicates, as aproblem in a method of checking, using only touch sensors, a directionof a device, a case where upper and lower directions of display may bereversed depending on a way the user holds the device. In this regard,PTL 3 discloses that increasing accuracy of estimating, using a gravitysensor jointly, the way the user holds the device enables correctdisplay.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature [PTL 1]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-301695

[PTL 2]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-143604

[PTL 3]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-52062

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

However, the techniques disclosed by PTL 1, PTL 2, and PTL 3 cause acase where the direction of the operating device may be not correctlyrecognized. These techniques are the techniques of recognizing thedirection of the operating device such as the remote control, using thedetection result of the sensor, such as recognizing the direction of thescreen display apparatus, using the acceleration sensor included in thesame, and recognizing the direction in which the user holds the remotecontrol, using the pressure sensor. Nevertheless, a case where therecognized direction does not match a direction intended by the useroccurs depending on a way of holding by the user. As a result, there isthe possibility that the operability of the user may deteriorate or theuser may be confused.

Specifically, when the user operates the remote control, the user holdsthe remote control in a direction in which the user somewhat looks up toa screen. In such a case, a face of the remote control on a screen sideis positioned higher than that of the remote control on a user side(front side). Then, the acceleration sensor included in the remotecontrol detects that the face on the user side (front side) is adownward direction. Finally, the direction of the remote control isrecognized as downward to the face on the user side (front side) basedon a common holding method.

Thus, the direction of the remote control recognized by the screendisplay apparatus matches the actual direction of the remote controlintended by the user. In other words, in this case, the direction of theremote control is correctly recognized.

However, conversely, when the user holds and operates the remote controlin a direction in which the user somewhat looks down at the screen, theface of the remote control on the screen side is positioned lower thanthat of the remote control on the user side (front side). For thisreason, the acceleration sensor detects that the face on the screen sideis the downward direction. Finally, the direction of the remote controlis recognized as downward to the face on the user side (front side)based on the common holding method.

Thus, the face of the remote control on the user side (front side) isrecognized as the face on the screen side. In other words, the directionof the remote control is wrongly recognized as a direction reverse tothe actual direction of the remote control intended by the user.Similarly, when the user operates the remote control while lying, thereis the possibility that the acceleration sensor or the like do notcorrectly recognize the direction intended by the user.

When the direction of the remote control is wrongly recognized, themovement of the cursor on the GUI contradicts the intention of the user.For example, the upper and lower directions are reversed for themovement of the user's finger on the touchpad. Such wrong recognitionconfuses the user or causes the user to switch the remote control fromone hand to the other. Thus, the user is deprived of comfortableoperability of the remote control.

Moreover, the screen display apparatus disclosed by PTL 2 instructs theuser to reverse the upper and lower directions of the remote control bycausing the user to operate a button. In other words, the screen displayapparatus causes the user to expressly specify the direction of theremote control. Such a method further troubles the user. Consequently,in this case also, the comfortable operability of the remote controlcannot be achieved.

The present invention has an object to provide a display control devicefor properly displaying an image or the like on a screen according to auser's natural operation on an operating device that is operated invarious directions.

Solution to Problem

In order to solve the above problems, a display control device accordingto an aspect of the present invention is a display control device whichreceives a signal from an operating device having a touchpad andgenerates screen data to be displayed on a screen, the display controldevice including: a touch information detecting unit configured todetect touch information including position information about a positionon the touchpad that is touched with a finger of a user during operationof the touchpad; a direction determining unit configured to determine adirection intended by the user, using a characteristic which isindicated by the touch information detected by the touch informationdetecting unit and which results from the operation on the touchpad withthe finger; and a screen data generating unit configured to generate thescreen data depending on the direction determined by the directiondetermining unit.

With this configuration, the display control device determines thedirection intended by the user at the time of operation, from thecharacteristic resulting from the operation with the finger, e.g. acharacteristic of an operation based on the structure of the human handsuch as the way a thumb is attached. Thus, the display control devicemakes it possible to recognize the direction intended by the user, basedon a natural operation by the user. Consequently, the display controldevice makes it possible to properly display an image or the like on ascreen based on the recognized direction.

Moreover, the direction determining unit may determine, using thecharacteristic, the direction that is an upward, downward, left, orright direction on the touchpad as viewed by the user.

With this configuration, the display control device makes it possible toproperly display the image or the like on the screen based on thedirection that is the upward, downward, left, or right direction on thetouchpad.

Moreover, the direction determining unit may determine, using thecharacteristic, the direction that is a direction of the operatingdevice.

With this configuration, the display control device makes it possible toproperly display the image or the like on the screen based on thedirection of the operating device.

Moreover, the display control device further includes a touchinformation accumulation unit configured to accumulate a plurality oftouch information items including the touch information detected by thetouch information detecting unit, wherein the direction determining unitmay determine the direction using the characteristic indicated by thetouch information items accumulated by the touch informationaccumulation unit.

With this configuration, the display control device makes it possible todetermine the direction intended by the user, using a more detailedcharacteristic based on the touch information items. Consequently, thedisplay control device makes it possible to more properly display theimage or the like on the screen.

Moreover, the direction determining unit may determine the directionusing the characteristic that is a shape of a trajectory formed by atransition indicated by a plurality of position information items in thetouch information items.

With this configuration, the display control device makes it possible todetermine the direction intended by the user, based on the trajectoryformed according to the natural operation with the finger.

Moreover, the direction determining unit may determine the directionsuch that (i) when the trajectory is convex, a convex side of thetrajectory is an upper side or (ii) when the trajectory is concave, aconcave side of the trajectory is a lower side.

With this configuration, the display control device makes it possible todirectly determine the direction intended by the user, from the shape ofthe trajectory.

Moreover, the direction determining unit may determine the directionusing the characteristic that is a distribution indicated by a pluralityof position information items in the touch information items.

With this configuration, the display control device makes it possible todetermine the direction intended by the user, based on the distributionof the position information items obtained according to the naturaloperation with the finger.

Moreover, the display control device further includes a cursor positiondetermining unit configured to determine a display position of a cursorindicating a pointing position on the screen, from the positioninformation in the touch information detected by the touch informationdetecting unit, wherein the cursor position determining unit maydetermine the display position depending on the direction determined bythe direction determining unit, and the screen data generating unit maygenerate the screen data for displaying the cursor at the displayposition determined by the cursor position determining unit.

With this configuration, the display control device makes it possible todisplay the cursor at the appropriate position based on the directionintended by the user.

Moreover, the cursor position determining unit may correct, when thedirection determined by the direction determining unit is different froma predetermined direction for the operating device, the display positiondetermined by the position information and the predetermined direction,to determine the display position.

With this configuration, when the user is operating the touchpad in adirection different from the predetermined direction, the cursor isdisplayed at the appropriate position.

Moreover, the display control device further includes an alert datagenerating unit configured to generate alert data for notifying the userof an alert, wherein the alert data generating unit may generate thealert data when the direction determined by the direction determiningunit is different from a predetermined direction for the operatingdevice.

With this configuration, when the user is trying to operate the touchpadin a wrong direction, the user can learn the mistake.

Moreover, the display control device further includes a sensorinformation detecting unit configured to detect held-part informationthat is information about part of the operating device held by the user,from a sensor provided at an outer periphery of the operating device anddetecting a touch by the user, wherein the direction determining unitmay determine the direction depending on the characteristic and theheld-part information detected by the sensor information detecting unit.

With this configuration, the direction is recognized more properly basedon the held-part information about the part of the operating device heldby the user and the information obtained from the natural operation bythe user.

Moreover, the display control device further includes a sensorinformation detecting unit configured to detect gravity directioninformation that is information about a gravity direction of gravity onthe operating device, from a sensor detecting the gravity direction,wherein the direction determining unit may determine the directiondepending on the characteristic and the gravity direction informationdetected by the sensor information detecting unit.

With this configuration, the direction is recognized more properly basedon the gravity direction information about the gravity on the operatingdevice and the information obtained from the natural operation by theuser.

Moreover, the display control device further includes an alert datagenerating unit configured to generate alert data for notifying the userof an alert; and a sensor information detecting unit configured todetect held-part information that is information about part of theoperating device held by the user, from a sensor provided at an outerperiphery of the operating device and detecting a touch by the user,wherein the alert data generating unit may generate the alert data whena direction estimated, based on the held-part information detected bythe sensor information detecting unit, as the direction intended by theuser is different from the direction determined by the directiondetermining unit.

With this configuration, the display control device makes it possible toverify validity of the direction determined according to the naturaloperation by the user, using the held-part information about the part ofthe operating device held by the user. Thus, a more certain directioncan be obtained.

Moreover, the display control device further includes an alert datagenerating unit configured to generate alert data for notifying the userof an alert; and a sensor information detecting unit configured todetect gravity direction information that is information about a gravitydirection of gravity on the operating device, from a sensor detectingthe gravity direction, wherein the alert data generating unit maygenerate the alert data when a direction estimated, based on the gravitydirection information detected by the sensor information detecting unit,as the direction intended by the user is different from the directiondetermined by the direction determining unit.

With this configuration, the display control device makes it possible toverify validity of the direction determined according to the naturaloperation by the user, the gravity direction information about thegravity on the operating device. Thus, a more certain direction can beobtained.

Moreover, the display control device further includes an alert datagenerating unit configured to generate alter data for notifying the userof an alert; and a sensor information detecting unit configured todetect, from a first sensor, held-part information that is informationabout part of the operating device held by the user, and detect, from asecond sensor, gravity direction information that is information about agravity direction of gravity on the operating device, the first sensorbeing provided at an outer periphery of the operating device anddetecting a touch by the user, and the second sensor detecting thegravity direction, wherein the cursor position determining unit maydetermine the display position depending on the direction determined bythe direction determining unit, when a direction estimated, based on theheld-part information and the gravity direction information detected bythe sensor information detecting unit, as the direction intended by theuser matches the direction determined by the direction determining unit,and the alert data generating unit may generate the alert data when thedirection estimated, based on the held-part information and the gravitydirection information detected by the sensor information detecting unit,as the direction intended by the user does not match the directiondetermined by the direction determining unit.

With this configuration, when the direction is recognized properly, thecursor is displayed at the appropriate position, and when the directionis not recognized properly, the user can learn the failure inrecognition.

Moreover, the touch information detecting unit may receive a signal fromthe operating device having two touchpads, and detect two touchinformation items each including position information about a positionon one of the two touchpads which is touched with one of fingers of auser during operation of the two touchpads, and wherein, when twocharacteristics respectively indicated by the two touch informationitems detected by the touch information detecting unit match each other,the direction determining unit may determine the direction using one ofthe two characteristics.

With this configuration, the display control device makes it possible tomore properly determine the direction intended by the user, using thetouchpad information items.

A display control method according to another aspect of the presentinvention is a display control method for receiving a signal from anoperating device having a touchpad, and generating screen data to bedisplayed on a screen, the display control method including: detectingtouch information including position information about a position on thetouchpad that is touched with a finger of a user during operation of thetouchpad; determining a direction intended by the user, using acharacteristic which is indicated by the touch information detected inthe detecting and which results from the operation on the touchpad withthe finger; and generating the screen data depending on the directiondetermined in the determining.

With this, the display control device is realized as the display controlmethod.

A program according to still another aspect of the present invention maybe a program causing a computer to execute the display control method.

With this, the display control method is realized as the program.

An integrated circuit according to yet another aspect of the presentinvention is an integrated circuit which receives a signal from anoperating device having a touchpad and generates screen data to bedisplayed on a screen, the integrated circuit including: a touchinformation detecting unit configured to detect touch informationincluding position information about a position on the touchpad that istouched with a finger of a user during operation of the touchpad; adirection determining unit configured to determine a direction intendedby the user, using a characteristic which is indicated by the touchinformation detected by the touch information detecting unit and whichresults from the operation on the touchpad with the finger; and a screendata generating unit configured to generate the screen data depending onthe direction determined by the direction determining unit.

With this, the display control device is realized as the integratedcircuit.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

The present invention allows the image or the like to be properlydisplayed on the screen according to the natural operation by the useron the operating device that is operated in various directions. As aresult, the comfortable operability for the user is assured. Moreover,additional costs can be reduced by using an original function of theoperating device, that is, input to a touchpad by the user. In otherwords, it is possible to achieve both increase in the operability forthe user and reduction in the additional costs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a screen display apparatus according toEmbodiment 1.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the screen display apparatusaccording to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a composition example of touch informationaccording to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a composition example of a touch informationtable according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 5 is diagram showing a whole process flow of the screen displayapparatus according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a direction determination process flow in adirection determining unit according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 7A is an explanatory diagram showing a first example of atrajectory shape determining process in the direction determining unitaccording to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 7B is an explanatory diagram showing a second example of atrajectory shape determining process in the direction determining unitaccording to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 7C is an explanatory diagram showing a third example of atrajectory shape determining process in the direction determining unitaccording to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 7D is an explanatory diagram showing a fourth example of atrajectory shape determining process in the direction determining unitaccording to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a screen display apparatus according toEmbodiment 2.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of the screen display apparatusaccording to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a composition example of touch informationaccording to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a composition example of a touchinformation table according to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 12 is diagram showing a whole process flow of the screen displayapparatus according to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a direction determining process flow in adirection determining unit according to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a trajectory shape determining process flowin the direction determining unit according to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 15A is an explanatory diagram showing a first example of atrajectory shape determining process in the direction determining unitaccording to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 15B is an explanatory diagram showing a second example of atrajectory shape determining process in the direction determining unitaccording to Embodiment 2.

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a screen display apparatus accordingto Embodiment 3.

FIG. 17 is a configuration diagram of the screen display apparatusaccording to Embodiment 3.

FIG. 18 is diagram showing a whole process flow of the screen displayapparatus according to Embodiment 3.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a lateral-holding direction determiningprocess flow in a direction determining unit according to Embodiment 3.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a longitudinal-holding directiondetermining process flow in the direction determining unit according toEmbodiment 3.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a trajectory shape determining process flowin the direction determining unit according to Embodiment 3.

FIG. 22 is a configuration diagram of a screen display apparatusaccording to Embodiment 4.

FIG. 23 is diagram showing a whole process flow of a screen displayapparatus according to Embodiment 4.

FIG. 24 is a configuration diagram of a screen display apparatusaccording to Embodiment 5.

FIG. 25 is diagram showing a whole process flow of the screen displayapparatus according to Embodiment 5.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a lateral-holding direction determiningprocess flow in a direction determining unit according to Embodiment 5.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a longitudinal-holding directiondetermining process flow in the direction determining unit according toEmbodiment 5.

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a distribution of position informationdetermining process flow in the direction determining unit according toEmbodiment 5.

FIG. 29A is an explanatory diagram showing a first example of adistribution of position information determining process in thedirection determining unit according to Embodiment 5.

FIG. 29B is an explanatory diagram showing a second example of adistribution of position information determining process in thedirection determining unit according to Embodiment 5.

FIG. 30 is a configuration diagram of a screen display apparatusaccording to a modification of Embodiment 1.

FIG. 31 is a use state of the screen display apparatus according to themodification of Embodiment 1.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following describes embodiments of the present invention withreference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1

A screen display apparatus according to Embodiment 1 recognizes adirection (also referred to as an orientation) of an operating deviceincluding a touchpad, using a trajectory shape of plural positioninformation items (coordinates) each indicating an input on the touchpadby a user. The screen display apparatus corrects display information ofa cursor on a screen (a pointer indicating an operation position on aGUI) based on the direction of the operating device.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a screen display apparatus according toEmbodiment 1. A screen display apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 receives aninput from a user, and displays a cursor 105 or the like on a screen104.

A remote control 101 is an example of an operating device with which theuser operates a GUI on the screen 104. The remote control 101 includes atouchpad 102 which receives an input by a user's finger 103.

A method of detecting variation of capacitance or the like performs aninput receiving process by the touchpad 102. The process is a publiclyknown technique, and thus a description thereof is omitted here. Theremote control 101 transmits signals to the screen 104 through wirelesscommunication such as Bluetooth and ZigBee/IEEE802.15.4. The techniqueof transmitting a signal is also a publicly known technique, and thus adescription thereof is omitted here.

When the user touches the touchpad 102 with the finger 103, the touchposition on the touchpad 102 is detected as position informationrepresented by an x coordinate and a y coordinate. A coordinate systemon the touchpad 102 corresponds one-on-one to a coordinate system on thescreen 104. For this reason, the screen display apparatus 1 cancalculate a value of coordinates of the cursor 105 on the screen 104based on the detected position information. It is to be noted thatexamples of the touch by the finger 103 include an indirect touch via aglove or the like.

FIG. 1 also shows upward, downward, left, and right directions on thetouchpad 102 as viewed with user's eyes 106. It is assumed that adirection intended when the user operates the touchpad 102 indicates theupward, downward, left, or right direction shown in FIG. 1. In otherwords, it is assumed that the direction intended by the user is theupward, downward, left, or right direction on the touchpad 102 as viewedby the user. The screen display apparatus 1 recognizes such a direction,and displays the cursor 105 at an appropriate position based on therecognized direction.

The direction intended by the user can be referred to as a directionintended by the user with respect to the operating device, that is, adirection of the operating device. The directions shown in FIG. 1 aredirections of the operating device such as the remote control 101.

It is to be noted that the operating device may have predeterminedupward, downward, left, and right directions. The predetermineddirection of the operating device typically corresponds to a displaydirection of a logo attached to the operating device. A direction of theoperating device may be quantitatively expressed by a rotation anglewith reference to the predetermined direction.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the screen display apparatus 1according to Embodiment 1 which is shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, the samereference signs are assigned to the same constituent elements as in FIG.1, and a description thereof is omitted.

The screen display apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2 includes the touchpad102, a touch information detecting unit 201, a touch informationaccumulation unit 202, a direction determining unit 203, a cursorposition determining unit 204, a screen data generating unit 205, and adisplay unit 206.

An operating device 11 shown in FIG. 2 is realized by the remote control101 or the like, and includes the touchpad 102. Moreover, a displaycontrol device 10 includes the touch information detecting unit 201, thetouch information accumulation unit 202, the direction determining unit203, the cursor position determining unit 204, and the screen datagenerating unit 205.

The display control device 10 receives signals from the operating device11, and generates screen data for displaying an image or the like on thescreen 104. It is to be noted that the display control device 10 may beincorporated into the operating device 11 or the display unit 206.

The touch information detecting unit 201 is a unit which detects touchinformation including position information that is an x coordinate and ay coordinate which indicate at least a touch position on the touchpad102, in response to a touch operation or a click operation on thetouchpad 102 by the user. Here, although the touch information detectingunit 201 is included in the display control device 10, the touchinformation detecting unit 201 may be included in the operating device11. The touch information detecting unit 201 detects the touchinformation at predetermined time intervals, and transmits the detectedtouch information to the touch information accumulation unit 202. Acomposition example of the touch information is described in detaillater with reference to FIG. 3.

The touch information accumulation unit 202 includes, for example, astorage unit, and is a unit which accumulates the touch informationreceived from the touch information detecting unit 201. The touchinformation accumulation unit 202 accumulates, in chronological order orthe like, touch information generated during a predetermined time periodor having a predetermined amount so that the direction determining unit203 can determine a direction of the operating device 11 using the touchinformation. A composition example of a touch information table foraccumulating the touch information is described in detail later withreference to FIG. 4.

The direction determining unit 203 is a unit which determines thedirection of the operating device 11 based on the touch informationaccumulated in the touch information accumulation unit 202.Specifically, the direction determining unit 203 determines which faceof the operating device 11 points to a side of the screen 104, byanalyzing the touch information based on predetermined algorithm. Thealgorithm is described in detail later with reference to FIG. 6.

It is to be noted that, hereafter, although the direction determiningunit 203 can basically determine the direction of the operating device11 using touch information obtained through an operation of naturallytouching a touchpad by the user, the present invention is not limited tothis. Such touch information is obtained at a moment when the userstarts holding the operating device 11, when an application is switched,when a holding direction of the operating device 11 is changed while anapplication is being used, or the like.

The cursor position determining unit 204 is a unit which calculates aposition of the cursor 105 to be displayed on the screen 104, from thedirection of the operating device 11 determined by the directiondetermining unit 203 and the touch information detected by the touchinformation detecting unit 201. In other words, the cursor positiondetermining unit 204 determines the display position of the cursor 105indicating a pointing position on the screen 104, from the positioninformation included in the touch information.

When the direction determining unit 203 determines that the user doesnot hold the operating device 11 in a “correct direction”, that is, theuser holds the operating device 11 in a “reverse direction”, the cursorposition determining unit 204 converts (coordinate converts) values ofthe position information included in the touch information.Consequently, the cursor position determining unit 204 corrects theposition information so that the cursor 105 moves in the same manner asin the case where the user holds the operating device 11 in the “correctdirection”.

On the other hand, when the direction determining unit 203 determinesthat the user holds the operating device 11 in the “correct direction”,the cursor position determining unit 204 does not correct the positioninformation.

It is to be noted that here the “correct direction” indicates adirection matching a direction of a coordinate system on the touchpad102. To put it differently, the “correct direction” refers to a statewhere the direction intended by the user matches a predetermineddirection of the operating device 11.

In contrast, the “reverse direction” refers to a state where thedirection intended by the user is the exact reverse of the predetermineddirection of the operating device 11. A “right direction” refers to astate where an upward direction intended by the user is a predeterminedright direction of the operating device 11. A “left direction” refers toa state where the upward direction intended by the user is apredetermined left direction of the operating device 11.

Moreover, the cursor position determining unit 204 determines thedisplay position of the cursor 105 (a cursor position) on the screen 104using the position information received from the touch informationdetecting unit 201 or the position information corrected by the cursorposition determining unit 204.

The screen data generating unit 205 is a unit which generates screendata based on the display position of the cursor 205 or the likedetermined by the cursor position determining unit 204. Specifically,the screen data generating unit 205 generates the screen data to bedisplayed by the display unit 206, by superimposing an image of anapplication such as a video viewer and a web browser on a cursor image.

The display unit 206 is a unit which displays, as an image or the like,the screen data received from the screen data generating unit 205. Thedisplay unit 206 is, for example, a screen of a digital W. It is to benoted that the display unit 206 may be outside the screen displayapparatus 1.

This is the end of the description of the configuration of the screendisplay apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1.

The following describes touch information detected by the touchinformation detecting unit 201 with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a composition example of touch information.Touch information 300 shown in FIG. 3 includes an operation ID 301 andposition information 302.

The operation ID 301 is an ID indicating a type of an operationperformed on the touchpad 102 by a user. Examples of the operation ID301 include “TOUCH” indicating a touch operation on the touchpad 102 and“CLICK” indicating a click operation on the touchpad 102.

The position information 302 includes a value of an x coordinate and avalue of a y coordinate on the touchpad 102 on which an operationindicated by the operation ID 301 is performed, and is expressed in aformat of (value of x coordinate, value of y coordinate).

FIG. 3 illustrates the touch information 300 indicating that “the touchoperation on the touchpad 102 has occurred at (100, 100)”.

This is the end of the description of the composition example of thetouch information 300.

The following describes the touch information table which is shown inFIG. 2 and held by the touch information accumulation unit 202 withreference to FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a composition example of the touchinformation table which is shown in FIG. 2 and held by the touchinformation accumulation unit 202. A touch information table 400 shownin FIG. 4 is stored in a RAM (Random Access Memory), a flash memory, orthe like.

The touch information 300 received from the touch information detectingunit 201 is accumulated in the touch information table 400 inchronological order. Specifically, each time the touch information 300is received from the touch information detecting unit 201, the touchinformation accumulation unit 202 adds the received touch information300 to the touch information table 400.

An example shown in FIG. 4 indicates the following: (i) “a touchoperation on the touchpad 102 has occurred at (100, 100)”; (ii) “a touchoperation on the touchpad 102 has occurred at (150, 200)”; (iii) “atouch operation on the touchpad 102 has occurred at (200, 300)”; and(iv) “a click operation on the touchpad 102 has occurred at (200, 300)”.

Here, the touch information detecting unit 201 detects a touch operationand a click operation on the touchpad 102 at predetermined timeintervals. For this reason, movements of the user's finger areinterpreted as “touching the touchpad 102 at (100, 100), moving to (200,300) via (150, 200) with the touchpad 102 touched, and clicking thetouchpad 102 at (200, 300)”, from the touch information table 400 shownin FIG. 4.

It is to be noted that when a predetermined time elapses, the touchinformation accumulation unit 202 may periodically delete old touchinformation 300 from the touch information table 400. Moreover, in thecase where an amount of accumulated touch information exceeds apredetermined amount when new touch information 300 is received from thetouch information detecting unit 201, the touch information accumulationunit 202 may update the old touch information 300 with the new touchinformation 300.

This is the end of the description of the composition example of thetouch information table 400.

The following describes a process flow of the screen display apparatus 1according to Embodiment 1 with reference to FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is a whole process flow of the screen display apparatus 1according to Embodiment 1 which is shown in FIG. 2.

First, the touch information detecting unit 201 of the screen displayapparatus 1 checks whether or not to continue detecting an input to thetouchpad 102, based on an instruction from an instruction unit not shownin FIG. 2 (S501).

Here, when the touch information detecting unit 201 is instructed todiscontinue detecting the input to the touchpad 102 (NO in S501), thescreen display apparatus 1 ends the process.

On the other hand, when the touch information detecting unit 201 isinstructed to continue detecting the input to the touchpad 102 (YES inS501), the touch information detecting unit 201 checks the presence orabsence of the input to the touchpad 102. Then, the touch informationdetecting unit 201 detects the presence or absence of the touchinformation 300 shown in FIG. 3 (S502).

Here, when the touch information detecting unit 201 detects “the absenceof the touch information” (NO in S502), the touch information detectingunit 201 checks again whether or not to continue detecting the input(S501).

On the other hand, when the touch information detecting unit 201 detects“the presence of the touch information” (YES in S502), the touchinformation detecting unit 201 causes the touch information accumulationunit 202 to accumulate the touch information 300 (S503). Morespecifically, the touch information detecting unit 201 adds the touchinformation 300 to the touch information table 400 shown in FIG. 4.Moreover, the touch information detecting unit 201 transmits thedetected touch information 300 to the cursor position determining unit204, for cursor display on the screen.

Next, after the cursor position determining unit 204 receives the touchinformation 300 from the touch information detecting unit 201, thecursor position determining unit 204 determines whether or not it isnecessary to correct the position information 302 in the touchinformation 300. For that purpose, the cursor position determining unit204 checks a direction of the operating device 11 with the directiondetermining unit 203 (S504).

Next, after the cursor position determining unit 204 checks with thedirection determining unit 203, the direction determining unit 203accesses the touch information table 400 of the touch informationaccumulation unit 202 to read out the touch information 300 (S505).Here, the direction determining unit 203 reads out touch information 300generated during a predetermined time period or touch information 300having a predetermined amount which is set to the direction determiningunit 203 in advance.

It is to be noted that the touch information accumulation unit 202sequentially accumulates the touch information 300 received from thetouch information detecting unit 201 at the predetermined timeintervals. This makes it possible to obtain, by calculation, an amountof touch information generated during a predetermined time period.

Moreover, when the direction determining unit 203 reads out the touchinformation 300, the touch information accumulation unit 202 may causethe direction determining unit 203 or the like to temporarily hold theread touch information 300. The touch information accumulation unit 202may read out only a difference from touch information 300 to be newlyrequired. This reduces an amount of the touch information 300 to be readout subsequently.

The direction determining unit 203 determines the direction of theoperating device 11 using the touch information 300 read out in thetouch information readout process (S505) (S506: a direction determiningprocess). Subsequently, the direction determining unit 203 notifies thecursor position determining unit 204 of the determined direction of theoperating device 11. The direction determining process is described indetail later with reference to FIG. 6.

The cursor position determining unit 204 receives the direction of theoperating device 11 from the direction determining unit 203, and judgeswhether or not the direction of the operating device 11 is the “correctdirection” (S507).

Here, when the direction of the operating device 11 is the “correctdirection” (YES in S507), the cursor position determining unit 204performs a process of determining a cursor position on a screen (S509).

On the other hand, when the direction of the operating device 11 isother than the “correct direction” (NO in S507), the cursor positiondetermining unit 204 corrects the position information 302 in the touchinformation 300 received from the touch information detecting unit 201,based on the direction of the operating device 11 (S508: a positioninformation correcting process). In this case, the cursor positiondetermining unit 204 corrects the position information 302 so that thecursor is displayed at the same position as in the case where thedirection of the operating device 11 is the “correct direction”. Theposition information correcting process is described in detail later.

Next, the cursor position determining unit 204 determines the cursorposition on the screen using the position information 302 in the touchinformation 300 received from the touch information detecting unit 201or the corrected position information 302 (S509). Specifically, thecursor position determining unit 204 determines the cursor position byobtaining, from the maximum value and the minimum value in each of acoordinate system of the touchpad 102 and a coordinate system on ascreen display, a magnification ratio between the coordinate system ofthe touchpad 102 and the coordinate system on the screen display.

In other words, the cursor position determining unit 204 determines, foreach of an x coordinate and a y coordinate of the position information,the cursor position on the screen through the following calculation:(the cursor position on the screen display)=(the cursor position on thetouchpad 102)×{(the maximum value of the coordinate system on the screendisplay)−(the minimum value of the coordinate system on the screendisplay)}/{(the maximum value of the coordinate system on the touchpad102)−(the minimum value of the coordinate system on the touchpad 102)}.

Subsequently, the cursor position determining unit 204 notifies thescreen data generating unit 205 of the x coordinate and the y coordinateof the determined cursor position.

The screen data generating unit 205 generates screen data bysuperimposing a cursor image on a video, an animation, or the like to bedisplayed by the display unit 206, based on the cursor position notifiedby the cursor position determining unit 204 (S510). Then, the screendata generating unit 205 transmits the generated screen data to thedisplay unit 206.

The display unit 206 displays, on the screen or the like, the screendata received from the screen data generating unit 205 (S511). Afterthis process ends, the touch information detecting unit 201 performsagain the process of checking whether or not to continue detecting theinput to the touchpad 102 (S501).

This is the end of the description of the whole process flow of thescreen display apparatus 1 which is shown in FIG. 5.

The following describes the direction determining process (S506) shownin FIG. 5 with reference to FIGS. 6 to 7D. Hereafter, plural positioninformation items 302 in plural touch information items 300 read out inthe touch information readout process (S505) shown in FIG. 5 arearranged in chronological order, and line segments each of whichconnects two adjacent points of position information items among theplural position information items are collectively referred to as a“trajectory”.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a direction determining process flow in thedirection determining unit 203 shown in FIG. 2.

First, the direction determining unit 203 checks the presence or absenceof the touch information 300 read out from the touch information table400 (S601).

Here, when the read touch information 300 is absent (NO in S601), thedirection determining unit 203 determines a direction of the operatingdevice 11 as an “indefinite direction” (S613).

On the other hand, when the read touch information 300 is present (YESin S601), the direction determining unit 203 calculates, for the touchinformation 300 read out in the preceding process (S601), a slope Δ of aline segment connecting two points of position information items 302 ona trajectory (S602).

The slope Δ is calculated as (Slope Δ)=(yb−ya)/(xb−xa), where positioninformation items of two points A and B adjacent to each other inchronological order are A (xa, ya) and B (xb, yb). However, here, signsof (yb−ya) and (xb−xa) are considered. In other words, the calculatedslope Δ is held in association with its positive and negative. In thismanner, the direction determining unit 203 calculates slopes Δ for allof read touch information items 300.

Next, the direction determining unit 203 calculates, for the slope Δcalculated in the preceding process (S602), a degree of change δ betweentwo slopes Δ adjacent to each other in chronological order (S603). Thedegree of change δ is calculated as (Degree of Change δ)=ΔB−ΔA, wherethe two slopes Δ adjacent to each other in chronological order are ΔAand ΔB. The direction determining unit 203 calculates degrees of changeδ for all of slopes Δ calculated in the preceding process (S602).

The direction determining unit 203 determines a shape of a trajectoryfrom the position information 302, the slope Δ, and the degree of changeδ (S604: a trajectory shape determining process). The trajectory shapedetermining process is described in detail later with reference to FIGS.7A to 7D.

The direction determining unit 203 checks whether or not the shape ofthe trajectory determined in the trajectory shape determining process(S604) is “convex upward” (S605).

Here, when the shape of the trajectory is “convex upward” (YES in S605),the direction determining unit 203 determines a direction of the user'sfinger 103 as the upward direction of the touchpad 102 (the same as adirection in the coordinate system of the touchpad 102), in view ofstructural characteristics or the like of a person's finger.

Moreover, it is considered that a direction of the operating device 11intended by the user matches the direction of the user's finger 103.Thus, the direction determining unit 203 determines the direction of theoperating device 11 as the “correct direction” (S606). Then, thedirection determining unit 203 notifies the cursor position determiningunit 204 of the determined direction of the operating device 11, andends this process.

On the other hand, when the shape of the trajectory determined in thetrajectory shape determining process (S604) is not “convex upward” (NOin S605), the direction determining unit 203 checks whether or not theshape of the trajectory is “convex downward” (S607).

Here, when the shape of the trajectory is “convex downward” (YES inS607), the direction determining unit 203 determines the direction ofthe user's finger 103 as the downward direction of the touchpad 102(upside-down of a direction in the coordinate system of the touchpad 102or a direction resulting from turning the touchpad 102 180 degrees tothe right or the left), in view of the structural characteristics or thelike of the person's finger.

Moreover, it is considered that a direction of the operating device 11intended by the user matches the direction of the user's finger 103.Thus, in contradiction to the case where the direction determining unit203 determines the direction of the operating device 11 as the “correctdirection” (S606), the direction determining unit 203 determines thedirection of the operating device 11 as the “reverse direction” (S608).Then, the direction determining unit 203 notifies the cursor positiondetermining unit 204 of the determined direction of the operating device11, and ends this process.

Meanwhile, when the shape of the trajectory determined in the trajectoryshape determining process (S604) is not “convex downward” (NO in S607),the direction determining unit 203 checks whether or not the shape ofthe trajectory is “convex rightward” (S609).

Here, when the shape of the trajectory is “convex rightward” (YES inS609), the direction determining unit 203 determines the direction ofthe user's finger 103 as a right direction of the touchpad 102 (adirection resulting from turning the coordinate system of the touchpad102 90 degrees to the right), in view of the structural characteristicsor the like of the person's finger.

Moreover, it is considered that a direction of the operating device 11intended by the user matches the direction of the user's finger 103.Thus, the direction determining unit 203 determines the direction of theoperating device 11 as the “right direction” (S610). The directiondetermining unit 203 notifies the cursor position determining unit 204of the determined direction of the operating device 11, and ends thisprocess.

Meanwhile, when the shape of the trajectory determined in the trajectoryshape determining process (S604) is not “convex rightward” (NO in S607),the direction determining unit 203 checks whether or not the shape ofthe trajectory is “convex leftward” (S611).

Here, when the shape of the trajectory is “convex leftward” (YES inS611), the direction determining unit 203 determines the direction ofthe user's finger 103 as a left direction of the touchpad 102 (adirection resulting from turning the coordinate system of the touchpad102 90 degrees to the left), in view of the structural characteristicsor the like of the person's finger.

Moreover, it is considered that a direction of the operating device 11intended by the user matches the direction of the user's finger 103.Thus, the direction determining unit 203 determines the direction of theoperating device 11 as the “left direction” (S612). The directiondetermining unit 203 notifies the cursor position determining unit 204of the determined direction of the operating device 11, and ends thisprocess.

Meanwhile, when the shape of the trajectory is not “convex leftward” (NOin S611), the direction determining unit 203 cannot determine the shapeof the trajectory in the preceding process (an “indefinite shape”). Inthis case, the direction determining unit 203 determines the directionof the operating device 11 as the “indefinite direction” (S613).

It is to be noted that when the direction of the operating device 11 isthe indefinite direction (S613), the direction determining unit 203 maydetermine that the direction of the operating device 11 is the “correctdirection” as a default direction. The default direction may be adirection set in advance as a default value to the screen displayapparatus 1 before shipping or a direction set in advance as a defaultvalue by the user.

This is the end of the description of the direction determining processflow in the direction determining unit 203.

The following describes the trajectory shape determining process in thedirection determining unit 203 with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7D.

Each of FIGS. 7A to 7D is a diagram showing a method of determining ashape of a trajectory from slopes Δ and degrees of change δ and furtherestimating a direction of a user's finger based on the shape of thetrajectory, and consequently determining a direction of the operatingdevice 11. Examples of the direction of the operating device 11 includefour patterns, that is, a “correct direction”, a “reverse direction”, a“right direction”, and a “left direction”. FIGS. 7A to 7D show the“correct direction”, the “reverse direction”, the “right direction”, andthe “left direction”, respectively.

The direction determining unit 203 judges whether a value of the slope Δcalculated in the slope Δ calculation process (S602) in the directiondetermining process flow shown in FIG. 6 is positive or negative.Moreover, the direction determining unit 203 judges whether a difference“Δx” of an x coordinate and a difference “Δy” of a y coordinate at thetime of calculating the slope Δ are positive or negative. Furthermore,the direction determining unit 203 judges whether a value of the degreeof change δ calculated in the degree of change δ calculation process(S603) is positive or negative.

In each of FIGS. 7A to 7D, a table shows the results of judging whetherthe values are positive or negative. Here, “+” indicates positive, and“−” indicates negative. Though not shown in the table, a case where aslope Δ or a degree of change δ is 0 may be considered as a specialsituation expressed by “±”. Moreover, though not shown in the table, acase where a slope Δ is infinity, a case where the slope Δ cannot becalculated when Δx is 0, or the like can be considered. These cases maybe considered as characteristics of a shape of a trajectory.

In the case of FIG. 7A, the slope Δ changes from “+” to “−”, and all ofthe degrees of change δ are “−”. The direction determining unit 203determines that the trajectory is “convex upward”, in consideration ofvalues of Δx and Δy.

In the case of FIG. 7B, the slope Δ changes from “−” to “+”, and all ofthe degrees of change δ are “+”. The direction determining unit 203determines that the trajectory is “convex downward”, in consideration ofvalues of Δx and Δy.

In the case of 7C, the slope Δ changes from “−” to “+”, and the degreeof change δ changes from “−” to “+”. The direction determining unit 203determines that the trajectory is “convex rightward”, in considerationof values of Δx and Δy.

In the case of 7D, the slope Δ changes from “+” to “−”, and the degreeof change δ changes from “−” to “+”. The direction determining unit 203determines that the trajectory is “convex leftward”, in consideration ofvalues of Δx and Δy.

When a combination of changes in the slope Δ and the degree of change δdoes not correspond to any of the cases of FIGS. 7A to 7D, the directiondetermining unit 203 cannot determine the shape of the trajectory. As aresult, the direction determining unit 203 determines the shape of thetrajectory as the “indefinite shape”. For instance, a case where thenumber of position information items 302 included in a trajectory is notenough can be considered as the case where the direction determiningunit 203 cannot determine the shape of the trajectory.

It is to be noted that even when the combination of the changes in theslope Δ and the degree of change δ does not correspond to any of thecases of FIGS. 7A to 7D, the direction determining unit 203 maydetermine which of the patterns of FIGS. 7A to 7D the combination of thechanges in the slope Δ and the degree of change δ is most similar to. Inthis manner, the direction determining unit 203 may determine the shapeof the trajectory as one of the shapes shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D.

This is the end of the description of the trajectory shape determiningprocess in the direction determining unit 203.

The following describes the position information correcting process inthe cursor position determining unit 204.

The cursor position determining unit 204 obtains corrected positioninformation by calculating coordinates turned around central coordinatesC on the touchpad 102.

For instance, it is assumed that a possible minimum value and a possiblemaximum value of an x coordinate of the coordinate system of thetouchpad 102 are x_min and x_max, respectively, and a possible minimumvalue and a possible maximum value of a y coordinate of the coordinatesystem of the touchpad 102 are and y_min, and y_max, respectively. Inthis case, the central coordinates C are expressed as C((x_max−x_min)/2,(y_max−y_min)/2). The cursor position determining unit 204 obtains thecorrected position information by calculating the coordinates turnedaround the central coordinates C.

When the direction of the operating device 11 notified by the directiondetermining unit 203 is the “reverse direction”, the cursor positiondetermining unit 204 turns the position information received from thetouch information detecting unit 201 180 degrees to the right (or theleft) with the central coordinates C being a pivot.

When the direction of the operating device 11 notified by the directiondetermining unit 203 is the “right direction”, the cursor positiondetermining unit 204 turns the position information received from thetouch information detecting unit 201 90 degrees to the left with thecentral coordinates C being the pivot. When the direction of theoperating device 11 notified by the direction determining unit 203 isthe “left direction”, the cursor position determining unit 204 turns theposition information received from the touch information detecting unit201 90 degrees to the right with the central coordinates C being thepivot.

Even when the user holds the operating device 11 in any direction, thecursor position determining unit 204 makes it possible to correct,through such a process, the cursor position so that the cursor positionis the same as in the case where the user holds the operating device 11in the “correct direction”.

This is the end of the description of the position informationcorrecting process in the cursor position determining unit 204.

This is the end of the description of the process flow of the screendisplay apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1.

With the above-described configuration, the touch informationaccumulation unit 202 of the screen display apparatus 1 accumulates thetouch information 300 detected by the touch information detecting unit201. Then, the direction determining unit 203 determines the directionof the operating device 11 using the shape of the trajectory indicatedby the position information 302 in the touch information 300. The cursorposition determining unit 204 properly corrects the position information302 in the touch information 300 received from the touch informationdetecting unit 201, depending on the direction, and determines thedisplay position of the cursor 105.

Consequently, even when the user holds the operating device 11 in amanner that any face of the operating device 11 is directed to the sideof the screen 104, the screen display apparatus 1 makes it possible toproperly and automatically determine the direction of the operatingdevice 11 based only on the input to the touchpad 102 by the user. Thus,the screen display apparatus 1 makes it possible to display the cursor105 at a correct position. Therefore, the screen display apparatus 1makes it possible to achieve the comfortable operability for the user.

Embodiment 2

A screen display apparatus according to Embodiment 2 includes twotouchpads, and recognizes a direction of an operating device using aninput on the two touchpads by a user. The screen display apparatus thencorrects display positions of cursors on a screen based on the directionof the operating device.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a screen display apparatus according toEmbodiment 2. A screen display apparatus 2 shown in FIG. 8 receives aninput from a user, and displays cursors 806 or the like on a screen 805.

A remote control 801 is an example of the operating device with whichthe user operates a GUI on the screen 805. The remote control 801includes a right touchpad 802 and a left touchpad 803 which receive aninput by a user's finger 804.

A method of detecting variation of capacitance or the like performs aninput receiving process by the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad803. The process is a publicly known technique, and thus a descriptionthereof is omitted here. The remote control 801 transmits signals to thescreen 805 through wireless communication such as Bluetooth andZigBee/IEEE802.15.4. The technique of transmitting a signal is also apublicly known technique, and thus a description thereof is omittedhere.

It is to be noted that Embodiment 2 describes an example where the userholds the remote control 801 with both hands, and uses the remotecontrol 801 in a direction in which the two touchpads are horizontallyarranged side by side (hereafter, also referred to as a holdingdirection indicating “lateral holding”). Thus, the direction of theoperating device held by the user is a “correct direction” or a “reversedirection” with respect to coordinate systems of position informationitems on the two touchpads.

It is to be noted that the following describes an example where anapplication or the like specifies that the holding direction of theoperating device is fixed to lateral holding. However, when theapplication or the like specifies that the holding direction is fixed tolongitudinal holding, the screen display apparatus 2 may turn thecoordinate systems on the two touchpads 90 degrees to the right or theleft. With this, it is possible to achieve the same process as in anexample described below.

When the user touches the right touchpad 802 with the finger 804, thetouch position on the right touchpad 802 is detected as positioninformation represented by an x coordinate and a y coordinate. Acoordinate system on the touchpad 802 corresponds one-on-one to acoordinate system on the screen 805. For this reason, the screen displayapparatus 2 can calculate a value of coordinates of the cursor 806 onthe screen 805 based on the detected position information.

Likewise, the left touchpad 803 has a coordinate system independent ofthe coordinate system of the right touchpad 802. A touch position on theleft touchpad 803 is detected as position information represented by anx coordinate and a y coordinate. The coordinate system on the lefttouchpad 803 corresponds one-on-one to the coordinate system on thescreen 805. For this reason, the screen display apparatus 2 cancalculate the value of the coordinates of the cursor 806 on the screen805 based on the detected position information.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of the screen display apparatus 2according to Embodiment 2 which is shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 9, the samereference signs are assigned to the same constituent elements as in FIG.8, and a description thereof is omitted.

The screen display apparatus 2 shown in FIG. 9 includes the righttouchpad 802, the left touchpad 803, a touch information detecting unit901, a touch information accumulation unit 902, a direction determiningunit 903, a cursor position determining unit 904, a screen datagenerating unit 905, and a display unit 906.

An operating device 21 shown in FIG. 9 is realized by the remote control801 or the like, and includes the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 803. Moreover, a display control device 20 includes the touchinformation detecting unit 901, the touch information accumulation unit902, the direction determining unit 903, the cursor position determiningunit 904, and the screen data generating unit 905.

The display control device 20 receives signals from the operating device21, and generates screen data to be displayed on the screen 805. It isto be noted that the display control device 20 may be incorporated intothe operating device 21 or the display unit 906.

The touch information detecting unit 901 is a unit which detects touchinformation in response to a touch operation or a click operation on theright touchpad 802 or the left touchpad 803 by the user. Here, althoughthe touch information detecting unit 901 is included in the displaycontrol device 20, the touch information detecting unit 901 may beincluded in the operating device 21. The touch information includesposition information that is an x coordinate and a y coordinate whichindicate at least a touch position on the right touchpad 802 or the lefttouchpad 803. The touch information detecting unit 901 detects the touchinformation at predetermined time intervals, and transmits the detectedtouch information to the touch information accumulation unit 902. Acomposition example of the touch information is described in detaillater with reference to FIG. 10.

The touch information accumulation unit 902 is a unit which accumulatesthe touch information received from the touch information detecting unit901. The touch information accumulation unit 902 accumulates, inchronological order or the like, touch information generated during apredetermined time period or having a predetermined amount so that thedirection determining unit 903 can determine a direction of theoperating device 21 using the touch information. A composition exampleof a touch information table is described in detail later with referenceto FIG. 11.

The direction determining unit 903 is a unit which determines thedirection of the operating device 21 based on the touch informationaccumulated in the touch information accumulation unit 902.Specifically, the direction determining unit 903 determines to whichdirection the operating device 21 faces, by analyzing the touchinformation based on predetermined algorithm. The algorithm is describedin detail later with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14.

It is to be noted that, hereafter, although the direction determiningunit 903 can basically determine the direction of the operating device21 using touch information obtained through an operation of naturallytouching a touchpad by the user, the present invention is not limited tothis. Such touch information is obtained at a moment when the userstarts holding the operating device 21, when an application is switched,when a holding direction of the operating device 21 is changed while anapplication is being used, or the like.

The cursor position determining unit 904 is a unit which calculates aposition of the cursor 806 to be displayed on the screen 104, from thedirection of the operating device 21 determined by the directiondetermining unit 903 and the touch information detected by the touchinformation detecting unit 901.

When the direction determining unit 903 determines that the user doesnot hold the operating device 21 in a “correct direction”, the cursorposition determining unit 904 converts (coordinate converts) values ofthe position information included in the touch information. With this,the cursor position determining unit 904 corrects the positioninformation so that the cursor 806 moves in the same manner as in thecase where the user holds the operating device 21 in the “correctdirection”. On the other hand, when the direction determining unit 903determines that the user holds the operating device 21 in the “correctdirection”, the cursor position determining unit 904 does not correctthe position information.

Moreover, the cursor position determining unit 904 determines a displayposition of the cursor 806 (a cursor position) on the screen 805 usingthe position information received from the touch information detectingunit 901 or the position information corrected by the cursor positiondetermining unit 904.

The screen data generating unit 905 is a unit which generates screendata based on the display position of the cursor 806 or the likedetermined by the cursor position determining unit 904. Specifically,the screen data generating unit 905 generates the screen data to bedisplayed by the display unit 906, by superimposing an image of anapplication such as a video viewer and a web browser on a cursor image.

The display unit 906 is a unit which displays the screen data receivedfrom the screen data generating unit 905. The display unit 906 is, forexample, a screen of a digital W. It is to be noted that the displayunit 906 may be outside the screen display apparatus 2.

This is the end of the description of the configuration of the screendisplay apparatus 2 according to Embodiment 2.

The following describes touch information detected by the touchinformation detecting unit 901 with reference to FIG. 10.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a composition example of touch information.Touch information 1000 shown in FIG. 10 includes a touch pad ID 1001, anoperation ID 1002, and position information 1003.

The touchpad ID 1001 is an ID indicating on which of the right touchpad802 and the left touchpad 803 a touch operation or a click operation isperformed to generate the touch information 1000. Examples of thetouchpad ID 1001 include “Right Touchpad” indicating the right touchpad802, and “Left Touchpad” indicating the left touchpad 803.

The operation ID 1002 is an ID indicating a type of an operation theuser performed on the right touchpad 802 or the left touchpad 803.Examples of the operation ID 1002 include “TOUCH” indicating the touchoperation on the right touchpad 802 or the left touchpad 803, and“CLICK” indicating the click operation on the right touchpad 802 or theleft touchpad 803.

Position information 1003 includes a value of an x coordinate and avalue of a y coordinate on the right touchpad 802 or the left touchpad803 on which the operation indicated by the operation ID 1002 isperformed, and expressed in a format of (value of x coordinate, value ofy coordinate).

FIG. 10 illustrates the touch information 1000 indicating that “thetouch operation on the right touchpad 802 has occurred at (100, 100)”.

This is the end of the description of the composition example of thetouch information 1000.

The following describes a touch information table 1100 held by the touchinformation accumulation unit 902 with reference to FIG. 11.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a composition example of the touchinformation table 1100 held by the touch information accumulation unit902. The touch information table 1100 is a table stored in a RAM, aflash memory, or the like in which the touch information accumulationunit 902 accumulates, in chronological order, the touch information 1000received from the touch information detecting unit 901. Each time thetouch information 1000 is received from the touch information detectingunit 901, the touch information accumulation unit 902 adds the receivedtouch information 1000 to the touch information table 1100.

An example shown in FIG. 11 indicates the following: (i) “the touchoperation on the right touchpad 802 has occurred at (100, 100)”; (ii)“the touch operation on the right touchpad 802 has occurred at (150,200)”; (iii) “the touch operation on the left touchpad 803 has occurredat (30, 300)”; (iv) “the touch operation on the right touchpad 802 hasoccurred at (200, 300)”; (v) “the click operation on the right touchpad802 has occurred at (200, 300)”; and (vi) “the click operation on theleft touchpad 803 has occurred at (30, 300)”.

Here, the touch information detecting unit 901 detects a touch operationand a click operation on the right touchpad 802 and the left touch pad803 at predetermined time intervals.

Thus, from the touch information table 1100 shown in FIG. 11, movementsof the user's finger are interpreted as follows. First, the user'sfinger touches the right touchpad 802 at (100, 100). Then, the user'sfinger moves via (150, 200) to (200, 300) while touching the righttouchpad 802. Then, the user's finger clicks the right touchpad 802.Moreover, the user's finger touches the left touchpad 803 at (30, 300).The user's finger clicks the left touchpad 803 there. The abovemovements are interpreted from the touch information table 1100.

It is to be noted that when a predetermined time elapses, the touchinformation accumulation unit 902 may periodically delete old touchinformation 1000 from the touch information table 1100. Moreover, in thecase where an amount of accumulated touch information exceeds apredetermined amount when new touch information 1000 is received fromthe touch information detecting unit 901, the touch informationaccumulation unit 902 may update the old touch information 1000 with thenew touch information 1000.

This is the end of the description of the composition example of thetouch information table 1100.

The following describes a process flow of the screen display apparatus 2according to Embodiment 2 with reference to FIGS. 12 to 14.

FIG. 12 is a whole process flow of the screen display apparatus 2according to Embodiment 2 which is shown in FIG. 9.

First, the touch information detecting unit 901 of the screen displayapparatus 2 checks whether or not to continue detecting an input to theright touchpad 802 or the left touchpad 803, based on an instructionfrom an instruction unit not shown in FIG. 9 (S1201).

Here, when the touch information detecting unit 901 is instructed todiscontinue detecting the input to the right touchpad 802 or the lefttouchpad 803 (NO in S1201), the screen display apparatus 2 ends theprocess.

On the other hand, when the touch information detecting unit 901 isinstructed to continue detecting the input to the right touchpad 802 orthe left touchpad 803 (YES in S1201), the touch information detectingunit 901 detects the presence or absence of the touch information 1000shown in FIG. 10 (S1202). In this case, the touch information detectingunit 901 detects the presence or absence of the touch information 1000by checking the presence or absence of the input to the right touchpad802 or the left touchpad 803.

Here, when the touch information detecting unit 901 detects “the absenceof the touch information” (NO in S1202), the touch information detectingunit 901 checks again whether or not to continue detecting the input(S1201).

On the other hand, when the touch information detecting unit 901 detects“the presence of the touch information” (YES in S1202), the touchinformation detecting unit 901 causes the touch information accumulationunit 902 to accumulate the touch information 1000 (S1203). Morespecifically, the touch information detecting unit 901 adds the touchinformation 1000 to the touch information table 1100 shown in FIG. 11.Moreover, the touch information detecting unit 901 transmits thedetected touch information 1000 to the cursor position determining unit904, for cursor display on the screen.

Next, after the cursor position determining unit 904 receives the touchinformation 1000 from the touch information detecting unit 901, thecursor position determining unit 904 determines whether or not it isnecessary to correct the position information 1003 in the touchinformation 1000. For that purpose, the cursor position determining unit904 checks a direction of the operating device 21 with the directiondetermining unit 903 (S1204).

Next, after the cursor position determining unit 904 checks with thedirection determining unit 903, the direction determining unit 903accesses the touch information table 1100 of the touch informationaccumulation unit 902 to read out the touch information 1000 (S1205).Here, the direction determining unit 903 reads out the touch information1000 for a predetermined time or the touch information 1000 having apredetermined amount which is set to the direction determining unit 903in advance.

It is to be noted that the touch information accumulation unit 902sequentially accumulates the touch information 1000 received from thetouch information detecting unit 901 at the predetermined timeintervals. This makes it possible to obtain, by calculation, an amountof touch information generated during a predetermined time period.

Moreover, when the direction determining unit 903 reads out the touchinformation 1000, the touch information accumulation unit 902 may causethe direction determining unit 903 or the like to temporarily hold theread touch information 1000. The touch information accumulation unit 902may read out only a difference from touch information 1000 to be newlyrequired. This reduces an amount of the touch information 1000 to beread out subsequently.

The direction determining unit 903 determines the direction of theoperating device 21 using the touch information 1000 read out in thepreceding process (S1205) (S1206: a direction determining process).Subsequently, the direction determining unit 903 notifies the cursorposition determining unit 904 of the determined direction of theoperating device 21. The direction determining process is described indetail later with reference to FIG. 13.

The cursor position determining unit 904 is notified of the direction ofthe operating device 21 by the direction determining unit 903, andjudges whether or not the direction of the operating device 21 is the“correct direction” (S1207).

Here, when the direction of the operating device 21 is the “correctdirection” (YES in S1207), the cursor position determining unit 904performs a process of determining cursor positions on the screen(S1209).

On the other hand, when the direction of the operating device 21 isother than the “correct direction” (NO in S1207), the cursor positiondetermining unit 904 corrects the position information 1003 in the touchinformation 1000 received from the touch information detecting unit 901(S1208: a position information correcting process). In this case, thecursor position determining unit 904 corrects, based on the direction ofthe operating device 21, the position information 1003 so that thecursor is displayed at the same position as in the case where thedirection of the operating device 21 is the “correct direction”. Theposition information correcting process is the same as the processdescribed in Embodiment 1.

Next, the cursor position determining unit 904 determines the cursorposition on the screen using the position information 1003 in the touchinformation 1000 received from the touch information detecting unit 901or the corrected position information 1003 (S1209).

Specifically, the cursor position determining unit 904 obtains, from themaximum value and the minimum value in each of the coordinate system ofthe right touchpad 802 and the coordinate system on the screen display,a magnification ratio between the coordinate system of the righttouchpad 802 and the coordinate system on the screen display. Moreover,the cursor position determining unit 904 obtains, from the maximum valueand the minimum value in each of the coordinate system of the lefttouchpad 803 and the coordinate system on the screen display, amagnification ratio between the coordinate system of the left touchpad803 and the coordinate system on the screen display. This allows thecursor position determining unit 904 to determine the cursor positionson the screen.

In other words, the cursor position determining unit 904 determines, foreach of an x coordinate and a y coordinate of the position information,the cursor position corresponding to the right touchpad 802 through thefollowing calculation: (the cursor position of the right touchpad 802 onthe screen display)=(the cursor position on the right touchpad802)×{(the maximum value of the coordinate system on the screendisplay)−(the minimum value of the coordinate system on the screendisplay)}/{(the maximum value of the coordinate system on the righttouchpad 802)−(the minimum value of the coordinate system on the righttouchpad 802)}.

Likewise, the cursor position determining unit 904 determines the cursorposition corresponding to the left touchpad 803 through the followingcalculation: (the cursor position of the left touchpad 803 on the screendisplay)=(the cursor position on the left touchpad 803)×{(the maximumvalue of the coordinate system on the screen display)−(the minimum valueof the coordinate system on the screen display)}/{(the maximum value ofthe coordinate system on the left touchpad 803)−(the minimum value ofthe coordinate system on the left touchpad 803)}.

Subsequently, the cursor position determining unit 904 notifies thescreen data generating unit 905 of the x coordinate and the y coordinateof each of the determined cursor positions.

It is to be noted that a different coordinate system on the screendisplay may be assigned to each of the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 803. In this case, “the maximum value of the coordinate systemon the screen display” and “the minimum value of the coordinate systemon the screen display” are provided for each of the right touchpad 802and the left touchpad 803 in the above respective calculations. Thisallows each cursor position to be determined.

The screen data generating unit 905 generates screen data bysuperimposing a cursor image on a video, an animation, or the like to bedisplayed by the display unit 906, based on the cursor position notifiedby the cursor position determining unit 904 (S1210). Then, the screendata generating unit 905 transmits the generated screen data to thedisplay unit 906.

The display unit 906 displays, on the screen or the like, the screendata received from the screen data generating unit 905 (S1211). Afterthis process ends, the touch information detecting unit 901 checks againwhether or not to continue detecting the input (S1201).

This is the end of the description of the whole process flow of thescreen display apparatus 2 which is shown in FIG. 12.

The following describes the direction determining process (S1206) shownin FIG. 12 with reference to FIGS. 13 to 15B. Hereafter, plural positioninformation 1003 in plural touch information 1000 read out in the touchinformation readout process (S1205) shown in FIG. 12 are arranged inchronological order, and line segments each of which connects twoadjacent points of position information items among the plural positioninformation items are collectively referred to as a “trajectory”.

First, the direction determining unit 903 performs a trajectory shapedetermining process for the right touchpad 802 using the touchinformation 1000 read out from the touch information table 1100 (S1301).The trajectory shape determining process is described in detail laterwith reference to FIG. 14.

Next, the direction determining unit 903 performs a trajectory shapedetermining process for the left touchpad 803 using the touchinformation 1000 read out from the touch information table 1100 (S1302).The trajectory shape determining process is the same as the precedingtrajectory shape determining process (S1301).

Next, the direction determining unit 903 checks the presence of thetouch information items of both touchpads, from the results of thetrajectory shape determining process for the right touchpad (S1301) andthe trajectory shape determining process for the left touchpad (S1302).In other words, the direction determining unit 903 checks the presenceof both touch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 and touchinformation 1000 of the left touchpad 803.

Here, when both touch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 andtouch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803 are present (YES inS1303), the direction determining unit 903 checks whether or not shapesof both trajectories match each other (S1304). In other words, in thiscase, the direction determining unit 903 checks whether or not the shapeof the trajectory of the right touchpad 802 matches that of the lefttouchpad 803, from the results of the trajectory shape determiningprocess for the right touchpad (S1301) and the trajectory shapedetermining process for the left touchpad (S1302).

More specifically, the direction determining unit 903 checks whether theshapes of both trajectories of the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 803 are “convex upward” or “convex downward”. It is to be notedthat the result of the trajectory shape determining process for theright touchpad (1301) or the trajectory shape determining process forthe left touchpad (S1302) may show “indefinite shape”. In this case, itis judged that the shape of the trajectory of the right touchpad 802does not match that of the left touchpad 803.

On the other hand, when the touch information 1000 of the right touchpad802 or that of the left touchpad 803 is absent (NO in S1303), thedirection determining unit 903 checks which one of the touch information1000 of the right touchpad 802 and that of the left touchpad 803 ispresent (S1310). In other words, in this case, the direction determiningunit 903 checks which one of the touch information 1000 of the righttouchpad 802 and that of the left touchpad 803 is present, from theresults of the trajectory shape determining process for the righttouchpad (S1301) and the trajectory shape determining process for theleft touchpad (S1302).

It is to be noted that, here, an example is shown where when the touchinformation 1000 of one of the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad803 is detected, the direction determining unit 903 performs thedirection determining process using a shape of a trajectory. However,only when the touch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 and thatof the left touchpad 803 are detected, the direction determining unit903 may perform the direction determining process. In this case, theprocess of checking which one of the touch information items 1000 of therespective touchpads is present (S1310) is omitted.

When the shapes of both touchpads do not match each other (NO in S1304)or when the touch information items 1000 of respective touchpads areabsent (NO in S1310), the direction determining unit 903 determines thedirection of the operating device 21 as an “indefinite direction”(S1309). It is to be noted that, in this case, the direction determiningunit 903 may determine that the direction of the operating device 21 isthe “correct direction” as a default direction. The default directionmay be a direction set in advance as a default value to the screendisplay apparatus 2 before shipping or a direction set in advance as adefault value by the user.

When the shape of the trajectory of the right touchpad 802 matches thatof the left touchpad 803 (YES in S1304) or when the touch information1000 of one of the touchpads is present (YES in S1310), the directiondetermining unit 903 checks whether or not the matched shape of thetrajectories checked in the preceding process is “convex upward”(S1305).

Here, when the matched shape of the trajectories is “convex upward” (YESin S1305), the direction determining unit 903 determines a direction ofthe user's finger 804 as an upward direction of the right touchpad 802and the left touchpad 803, in view of structural characteristics or thelike of a person's finger. In other words, the direction determiningunit 903 determines that the direction of the user's finger 804 is thesame as a direction in the coordinate system of the right touchpad 802and the coordinate system of the left touchpad 803.

Moreover, it is considered that a direction of the operating device 21intended by the user matches the direction of the user's finger 804.Thus, the direction determining unit 903 determines the direction of theoperating device 21 as the “correct direction” (S1306). Then, thedirection determining unit 903 notifies the cursor position determiningunit 904 of the determined direction of the operating device 21, andends this process.

Meanwhile, when the matched shape of the trajectories is not “convexupward” (NO in S1305), the direction determining unit 903 checks whetheror not the matched shape of the trajectories checked in the precedingprocess is “convex downward” (S1307).

Here, when the matched shape of the trajectories is “convex downward”(YES in S1307), the direction determining unit 903 determines thedirection of the user's finger 804 as a downward direction of the righttouchpad 802 and the left touchpad 803, in view of the structuralcharacteristics or the like of the person's finger. In other words, thedirection determining unit 903 determines that the direction of theuser's finger 804 is upside-down of a direction in the coordinate systemof the right touchpad 802 and the coordinate system of the left touchpad803 or a direction resulting from turning each of the right touchpad 802and the left touchpad 803 180 degrees to the right or the left.

Moreover, it is considered that the direction of the operating device 21intended by the user matches the direction of the user's finger 804.Thus, in contradiction to the case where the direction determining unit903 determines the direction of the operating device 21 as the “correctdirection” (S1306), the direction determining unit 903 determines thedirection of the operating device 21 as the “reverse direction” (S1308).Then, the direction determining unit 903 notifies the cursor positiondetermining unit 904 of the determined direction of the operating device21, and ends this process.

Meanwhile, when the matched shape of the trajectories is not “convexdownward” (NO in S1307), as with the case where the shapes of thetrajectories of both touchpads do not match each other (NO in S1304) orthe like, the direction determining unit 903 determines the direction ofthe operating device 21 as the “indefinite direction” (S1309).

This is the end of the description of the direction determining processflow in the direction determining unit 903.

The following describes a flow of the trajectory shape determiningprocess for the right touchpad (S1301) and the trajectory shapedetermining process for the left touchpad (S1302) shown in FIG. 13, withreference to FIG. 14 and FIGS. 15A and 15B.

First, the direction determining unit 903 checks the presence or absenceof the touch information 1000 read out from the touch information table1100 (S1401).

Here, when the read touch information 1000 is absent (NO in S1401), thedirection determining unit 903 ends this process.

On the other hand, when the touch information 1000 read out in thepreceding process (S1401) is present (YES in S1401), the directiondetermining unit 903 calculates, for the touch information 1000, a slopeΔ of a line segment connecting, on a trajectory, two points each ofwhich is indicated by the position information 1003 (S1402).

The slope Δ is calculated as (Slope Δ)=(yb−ya)/(xb−xa), where positioninformation of two points A and B adjacent to each other inchronological order are A (xa, ya) and B (xb, yb). However, here, signsof (yb−ya) and (xb−xa) are considered, and held in association with thecalculated slope Δ. In this manner, the direction determining unit 903calculates slopes Δ for all of read touch information items 1000.

Next, the direction determining unit 903 calculates, for the slope Δcalculated in the preceding process (S1402), a degree of change δbetween two slopes Δ adjacent to each other in chronological order(S1403). The degree of change δ is calculated as (Degree of Changeδ)=ΔB−ΔA, where the two slopes Δ adjacent to each other in chronologicalorder are ΔA and ΔB. The direction determining unit 903 calculatesdegrees of change δ for all of slopes Δ calculated in the precedingprocess (S1402).

Next, the direction determining unit 903 determines a shape of atrajectory from the position information 1003, the slope Δ, and thedegree of change δ (S1404). This process is described in detail laterwith reference to FIGS. 15A and 15B.

Each of FIGS. 15A to 15BD is a diagram showing a method of determining ashape of a trajectory from slopes Δ and degrees of change δ and furtherestimating a direction of a user's finger based on the shape of thetrajectory, and consequently determining a direction of the operatingdevice 21. Examples of the direction of the operating device 21 includetwo patterns, that is, a “correct direction” and a “reverse direction”.FIG. 15A shows the “correct direction”, and FIG. 15B shows the “reversedirection”.

The direction determining unit 903 judges whether a value of the slope Δcalculated in the slope Δ calculation process (S1402) in the directiondetermining process flow shown in FIG. 14 is positive or negative.Moreover, the direction determining unit 903 judges whether a difference“Δx” of an x coordinate and a difference “Δy” of a y coordinate at thetime of calculating the slope Δ are positive or negative. Furthermore,the direction determining unit 903 judges whether a value of the degreeof change δ calculated in the degree of change δ calculation process(S1403) is positive or negative.

In each of FIGS. 15A and 15B, a table shows the results of judgingwhether the values are positive or negative. Here, “+” indicatespositive, and “−” indicates negative. Though not shown in the table, acase where a slope Δ or a degree of change δ is 0 may be considered as aspecial situation expressed by “±”. Moreover, though not shown in thetable, a case where a slope Δ is infinity, a case where the slope Δcannot be calculated when Δx is 0, or the like can be considered. Thesecases may be considered as characteristics of a shape of a trajectory.

In the case of FIG. 15A, the slope Δ changes from “+” to “−”, and all ofthe degrees of change δ are “−”. The direction determining unit 903determines that the trajectory is “convex upward”, in consideration ofvalues of Δx and Δy.

In the case of FIG. 15B, the slope Δ changes from “−” to “+”, and all ofthe degrees of change δ are “+”. The direction determining unit 903determines that the trajectory is “convex downward”, in consideration ofvalues of Δx and Δy.

When a combination of changes in the slope Δ and the degree of change 6does not correspond to any of the cases of FIGS. 15A and 15B, thedirection determining unit 903 cannot determine the shape of thetrajectory. As a result, the direction determining unit 903 determinesthe shape of the trajectory as the “indefinite shape”. For instance, acase where the number of position information items 902 included in atrajectory is not enough can be considered as the case where thedirection determining unit 903 cannot determine the shape of thetrajectory.

It is to be noted that even when the combination of the changes in theslope Δ and the degree of change δ does not correspond to any of thecases of FIGS. 15A and 15B, the direction determining unit 903 maydetermine which of the patterns of FIGS. 15A and 15B the combination ofthe changes in the slope Δ and the degree of change δ is most similarto. In this manner, the direction determining unit 903 may determine theshape of the trajectory as one of the shapes shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B.

This is the end of the description of the trajectory shape determiningprocess for the right touchpad (S1301) and the trajectory shapedetermining process for the left touchpad (S1302) shown in FIG. 13.

This is the end of the description of the process flow of the screendisplay apparatus 2 according to Embodiment 2.

With the above-described configuration, the touch informationaccumulation unit 902 of the screen display apparatus 2 accumulates thetouch information items 1000 detected on the two touchpads, the righttouchpad 802 and the left touchpad 803, by the touch informationdetecting unit 901. Then, the direction determining unit 903 determinesthe direction of the operating device 21 using the shapes of bothtrajectories of the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad 803, fromthe position information items 1003 in the touch information items 1000.

The cursor position determining unit 904 properly corrects the positioninformation items 1003 in the touch information items 1000 received fromthe touch information detecting unit 901, depending on the direction ofthe operating device 21, and determines the display positions of thecursors 806.

Consequently, even when the user holds the operating device 21 in anydirection, the screen display apparatus 2 makes it possible to properlyand automatically determine the direction of the operating device 21based only on the inputs to the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad803 by the user, and display the cursors 806 at the correct positions.Therefore, the screen display apparatus 2 makes it possible to achievethe comfortable operability for the user.

Embodiment 3

A screen display apparatus according to Embodiment 3 which includes twotouchpads further includes a sensor for detecting which part of anoperating device a user holds.

This configuration allows the screen display apparatus according toEmbodiment 3 to respond to a holding direction (hereafter, also referredto as “longitudinal holding”) of a remote control shown in FIG. 16, inaddition to a holding direction (hereafter, also referred to as “lateralholding”) of the remote control according to Embodiment 2 shown in FIG.8. The screen display apparatus according to Embodiment 3 recognizes adirection of the operating device in connection with one of thelongitudinal holding and the lateral holding (the holding directions)using inputs on the touchpads of the screen display apparatus by theuser, and corrects a display position of a cursor on a screen based onthe holding direction and direction of the operating device.

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a screen display apparatus accordingto Embodiment 3. In FIG. 16, the same reference signs are assigned tothe same constituent elements as in FIG. 8, and a description thereof isomitted. A screen display apparatus 3 shown in FIG. 8 receives an inputfrom a user, and displays the cursor 806 on the screen 805.

A remote control 1601 differs from the remote control 801 shown in FIG.8 in that at least one sensor for detecting a touch position of a user'sfinger is provided at an outer peripheral part of the remote control1601. This allows the screen display apparatus 3 to automatically detectwhether the user holds the remote control 1601 in a lateral direction(the direction of the remote control 801 shown in FIG. 8) or alongitudinal direction (a direction of the remote control 1601 shown inFIG. 16).

Consequently, the user can freely hold the remote control 1601 in thelateral direction or the longitudinal direction. It is to be noted thatsuch a sensor for detecting a touch with the user's finger (such as atouch sensor, a gripping sensor, and a pressure sensor) is a publiclyknown technique, and a detailed description thereof is omitted here.

FIG. 17 is a configuration diagram of the screen display apparatus 3according to Embodiment 3 which is shown in FIG. 16. In FIG. 17, thesame reference signs are assigned to the same constituent elements as inFIG. 9, and a description thereof is omitted.

The screen display apparatus 3 shown in FIG. 17 includes a sensor 1701,a sensor information detecting unit 1702, a direction determining unit1703, a cursor position determining unit 1704, the right touchpad 802,the left touchpad 803, the touch information detecting unit 901, thetouch information accumulation unit 902, the screen data generating unit905, and the display unit 906.

An operating device 31 shown in FIG. 17 is realized by the remotecontrol 1601 or the like, and includes the sensor 1701, the righttouchpad 802, and the left touchpad 803. A display control device 30includes the sensor information detecting unit 1702, the directiondetermining unit 1703, the cursor position determining unit 1704, thetouch information detecting unit 901, the touch information accumulationunit 902, and the screen data generating unit 905.

The display control device 30 receives signals from the operating device31, and generates screen data to be displayed on the screen 805. It isto be noted that the display control device 30 may be incorporated intothe operating device 31 or the display unit 906. Here, although thetouch information detecting unit 901 is included in the display controldevice 30, the touch information detecting unit 901 may be included inthe operating device 31.

The sensor 1701 is a touch sensor for detecting a touch with a user'sfinger. At least one touch sensor is provided at an outer peripheralpart of the operating device 31.

The sensor information detecting unit 1702 receives, from the sensor1701, a signal indicating detection of a touch with a user's finger orthe like. The sensor information detecting unit 1702 detects, as aholding direction of the operating device 31, whether the user holds theoperating device 31 in the lateral direction, that is, the user performs“lateral holding”, or the user holds the operation device 31 in thelongitudinal direction, that is, the user performs “longitudinalholding”, in view of a position of the sensor 1701 provided at the outerperipheral part of the operating device 31.

The sensor information detecting unit 1702 notifies the directiondetermining unit 1703 of the detected holding direction of the operatingdevice 31, in response to a request from the direction determining unit1703 or depending on a detection situation of sensor information of thesensor information detecting unit 1702.

The direction determining unit 1703 is a unit which determines thedirection of the operating device 31 based on a holding position of theoperating device 31 by the user, which is detected by the sensorinformation detecting unit 1702, and touch information accumulated bythe touch information accumulation unit 902. Specifically, the directiondetermining unit 1703 determines, from the holding position detected bythe sensor information detecting unit 1702, whether the holdingdirection of the operating device 31 is lateral holding or longitudinalholding, and analyzes the touch information based on predeterminedalgorithm. In this way, the direction determining unit 1703 determinesto which direction the operating device 31 faces.

It is to be noted that, hereafter, although the direction determiningunit 1703 can basically determine the direction of the operating device31 using touch information obtained through an operation of naturallytouching a touchpad by the user, the present invention is not limited tothis. Such touch information is obtained at a moment when the userstarts holding the operating device 31, when an application is switched,when a holding direction of the operating device 31 is changed while anapplication is being used, or the like.

The cursor position determining unit 1704 is a unit which calculates aposition of the cursor 806 to be displayed on the screen 805, from theholding direction of the operating device 31 notified by the directiondetermining unit 1703, the direction of the operating device 31determined by the direction determining unit 1703, and the touchinformation detected by the touch information detecting unit 901.

The cursor position determining unit 1704 converts (coordinate converts)values of position information in the touch information, based on theholding direction (lateral holding or longitudinal holding) of theoperating device 31.

When the direction determining unit 1703 determines that the user doesnot hold the operating device 31 in a “correct direction”, the cursorposition determining unit 1704 converts (coordinate converts) the valuesof the position information included in the touch information. Withthis, the cursor position determining unit 1704 corrects the positioninformation so that the cursor 806 moves in the same manner as in thecase where the user holds the operating device 31 in the “correctdirection”. On the other hand, when the direction determining unit 1703determines that the user holds the operating device 31 in the “correctdirection”, the cursor position determining unit 1704 does not correctthe position information.

Here, the conversion of the position information based on the holdingdirection (lateral holding or longitudinal holding) of the operatingdevice 31 refers to a process of converting position information into acoordinate system of a holding direction set as a standard. Forinstance, when coordinate systems of the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 803 are set as fixed with the longitudinal holding of theoperating device 31 (the holding direction of the remote control 1601shown in FIG. 16) being a standard and when the operating device 31 isheld laterally, position information is converted.

In this case, the cursor position determining unit 1704 turns thecoordinate systems of the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad 80390 degrees to the left so that the coordinate systems correspond to thecoordinate system of the holding direction set as the standard. In otherwords, the cursor position determining unit 1704 turns the positioninformation 90 degrees to the left with central coordinates C of thecoordinate system of each of the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 803 being a pivot.

Moreover, the cursor position determining unit 1704 determines thedisplay position of the cursor 806 (a cursor position) on the screen 805using the position information received from the touch informationdetecting unit 901 or the position information corrected by the cursorposition determining unit 904.

This is the end of the description of the configuration of the screendisplay apparatus 3 according to Embodiment 3.

The following describes a process flow of the screen display apparatus 3according to Embodiment 3 shown in FIG. 17 with reference to FIGS. 18 to20.

FIG. 18 is a whole process flow of the screen display apparatus 3according to Embodiment 3 which is shown in FIG. 17.

First, the touch information detecting unit 901 of the screen displayapparatus 3 checks whether or not to continue detecting an input to theright touchpad 802 or the left touchpad 803, based on an instructionfrom an instruction unit not shown in FIG. 17 (S1801).

Here, when the touch information detecting unit 901 is instructed todiscontinue detecting the input to the right touchpad 808 or the lefttouchpad 803 (NO in S1801), the screen display apparatus 3 ends theprocess.

On the other hand, when the touch information detecting unit 901 isinstructed to continue detecting the input to the right touchpad 802 orthe left touchpad 803 (YES in S1801), the touch information detectingunit 901 checks the presence or absence of the input to the righttouchpad 802 or the left touchpad 803. Then, the touch informationdetecting unit 901 detects the presence or absence of the touchinformation 1000 shown in FIG. 10 (S1802).

Here, when the touch information detecting unit 901 detects “the absenceof the touch information” (NO in S1802), the touch information detectingunit 901 checks again whether or not to continue detecting the input(S1801).

On the other hand, when the touch information detecting unit 901 detects“the presence of the touch information” (YES in S1802), the touchinformation detecting unit 901 causes the touch information accumulationunit 908 to accumulate the touch information 1000 (S1803). Morespecifically, the touch information detecting unit 901 adds the touchinformation 1000 to the touch information table 1100 shown in FIG. 11.Moreover, the touch information detecting unit 901 transmits thedetected touch information 1000 to the cursor position determining unit1704, for cursor display on the screen.

Next, the cursor position determining unit 1704 receives the touchinformation 1000 from the touch information detecting unit 901. Then,the cursor position determining unit 1704 determines whether or not itis necessary to correct the position information 1003 in the touchinformation 1000. For that purpose, the cursor position determining unit1704 checks a direction of the operating device 31 with the directiondetermining unit 1703 (S1804).

Next, the direction determining unit 1703 is checked by the cursorposition determining unit 1704. Then, the direction determining unit1703 accesses the touch information table 1100 of the touch informationaccumulation unit 902 to read out the touch information 1000 (S1805).Here, the direction determining unit 1703 reads out touch information1000 generated during a predetermined time period or touch information1000 having a predetermined amount which is set to the directiondetermining unit 1703 in advance.

It is to be noted that the touch information accumulation unit 902sequentially accumulates the touch information 1000 received from thetouch information detecting unit 901 at the predetermined timeintervals. This makes it possible to obtain, by calculation, an amountof touch information generated during a predetermined time period.

Moreover, when the direction determining unit 1703 reads out the touchinformation 1000, the touch information accumulation unit 902 may causethe direction determining unit 1703 or the like to temporarily hold theread touch information 1000. The touch information accumulation unit 902may read out only a difference from touch information 1000 to be newlyrequired. This reduces an amount of the touch information 1000 to beread out subsequently.

Next, the direction determining unit 1703 checks the presence or absenceof sensor information with the sensor information detecting unit 1702.Then, the sensor information detecting unit 1702 checks the presence orabsence of a signal detected by the sensor 1701 (S1806).

Here, the sensor information detecting unit 1702 obtains the sensorinformation (S1807) when detecting the sensor information (YES inS1806), and detects which part of the operating device 31 the userholds.

For instance, the sensor 1701, which is a touch sensor, may be disposedat each of four sides of the operating device 31 that are two long sidefaces and two short side faces. When the sensor information detectingunit 1702 detects touches at the sensors 1701 on the two short sidefaces, the operating device 31 is recognized as being “held laterally”.When the sensor information detecting unit 1702 detects a touch at oneof the sensors 1701 on the long side faces, the operating device 31 isrecognized as being “held longitudinally”.

Subsequently, the sensor information detecting unit 1702 notifies thedirection determining unit 1703 of “lateral holding” or “longitudinalholding” as a holding direction.

Next, the direction determining unit 1703 checks whether or not theoperating device 31 is “held laterally”, from the holding directionnotified by the sensor information detecting unit 1702 (S1808).

When the operating device 31 is “held laterally” (YES in S1808), a“lateral-holding” direction of the operating device 31 is determined(S1809: a lateral-holding direction determining process). In this case,the direction determining unit 1703 determines the direction of theoperating device 31 using the touch information 1000 read out in thetouch information readout process (S1805). Moreover, when the sensorinformation detecting unit 1702 does not detect the sensor information(NO in S1806), the direction determining unit 1703 determines thedirection of the operating device 31 at the time when the operatingdevice 31 is “held laterally”.

Subsequently, the direction determining unit 1703 notifies the cursorposition determining unit 1704 of the determined direction of theoperating device 31. The lateral-holding direction determining processis described in detail later with reference to FIG. 19.

On the other hand, when the operating device 31 is “held longitudinally”(NO in S1808), the direction determining unit 1703 determines adirection of the operating device 31 at the time when the operatingdevice is “held longitudinally” (S1810: a longitudinal-holding directiondetermining process). In this case, the direction determining unit 1703determines the direction of the operating device 31 using the touchinformation 1000 read out in the touch information readout process(S1805).

Subsequently, the direction determining unit 1703 notifies the cursorposition determining unit 1704 of the determined direction of theoperating device 31. The longitudinal-holding direction determiningprocess is described in detail later with reference to FIG. 20.

The cursor position determining unit 1704 is notified of the determineddirection of the operating device 31 by the direction determining unit1703. Then, the cursor position determining unit 1704 determines whetheror not the direction of the operating device 31 is the “correctdirection” (S1811).

Here, when the direction of the operating device 31 is the “correctdirection” (YES in S1811), the cursor position determining unit 1704performs a process of determining a cursor position on a screen (S1813).

On the other hand, when the direction of the operating device 31 isother than the “correct direction” (NO in S1811), the cursor positiondetermining unit 1704 corrects the position information 1003 in thetouch information 1000 received from the touch information detectingunit 901 (S1812: a position information correcting process). In thiscase, the cursor position determining unit 1704 corrects, based on thedirection of the operating device 31, the position information 1003 sothat the cursor is displayed at the same position as in the case wherethe direction of the operating device 31 is the “correct direction”. Theposition information correcting process is the same as the processdescribed in Embodiment 1.

Next, the cursor position determining unit 1704 determines the cursorposition on the screen using the position information 1003 in the touchinformation 1000 received from the touch information detecting unit 901or the corrected position information 1003 (S1813).

Specifically, the cursor position determining unit 1704 obtains, fromthe maximum value and the minimum value in each of a coordinate systemof the right touchpad 802 and a coordinate system on screen display, amagnification ratio between the coordinate system of the right touchpad802 and the coordinate system on the screen display. Moreover, thecursor position determining unit 1704 obtains, from the maximum valueand the minimum value in each of a coordinate system of the lefttouchpad 803 and the coordinate system on the screen display, amagnification ratio between the coordinate system of the left touchpad803 and the coordinate system on the screen display. This allows thecursor position determining unit 1704 to determine the cursor positionon the screen.

In other words, the cursor position determining unit 1704 determines,for each of an x coordinate and a y coordinate of the positioninformation, a cursor position corresponding to the right touchpad 802through the following calculation: (the cursor position of the righttouchpad 802 on the screen display)=(the cursor position on the righttouchpad 802)×{(the maximum value of the coordinate system on the screendisplay)−(the minimum value of the coordinate system on the screendisplay)}/{(the maximum value of the coordinate system on the righttouchpad 802)−(the minimum value of the coordinate system on the righttouchpad 802)}.

Likewise, the cursor position determining unit 1704 determines a cursorposition corresponding to the left touchpad 803 through the followingcalculation: (the cursor position of the left touchpad 803 on the screendisplay)=(the cursor position on the left touchpad 803)×{(the maximumvalue of the coordinate system on the screen display)−(the minimum valueof the coordinate system on the screen display)}/{(the maximum value ofthe coordinate system on the left touchpad 803)−(the minimum value ofthe coordinate system on the left touchpad 803)}.

Subsequently, the cursor position determining unit 1704 notifies thescreen data generating unit 905 of the x coordinate and the y coordinateof each of the determined cursor positions.

It is to be noted that a different coordinate system on the screendisplay may be assigned to each of the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 803. In this case, “the maximum value of the coordinate systemon the screen display” and “the minimum value of the coordinate systemon the screen display” are provided for each of the right touchpad 802and the left touchpad 803 in the above respective calculations. Thisallows each cursor position to be determined.

The screen data generating unit 905 generates screen data bysuperimposing a cursor image on a video, an animation, or the like to bedisplayed by the display unit 906, based on the cursor position notifiedby the cursor position determining unit 1704 (S1814). Then, the screendata generating unit 905 transmits the generated screen data to thedisplay unit 906.

The display unit 906 displays, on the screen or the like, the screendata received from the screen data generating unit 905 (S1815). Afterthis process ends, the touch information detecting unit 901 checks againwhether or not to continue detecting the input (S1801).

This is the end of the description of the whole process flow of thescreen display apparatus 3 which is shown in FIG. 18.

The following describes the lateral-holding direction determiningprocess (S1809) shown in FIG. 18 with reference to FIG. 19. Hereafter,plural position information items 1003 in plural touch information items1000 read out in the touch information readout process (S1805) shown inFIG. 18 are arranged in chronological order, and line segments each ofwhich connects two adjacent points of position information items amongthe plural position information items are collectively referred to as a“trajectory”.

First, the direction determining unit 1703 performs a trajectory shapedetermining process for the right touchpad 802 using the touchinformation 1000 read out from the touch information table 1100 (S1901).The trajectory shape determining process is described in detail laterwith reference to FIG. 21.

Next, the direction determining unit 1703 performs a trajectory shapedetermining process for the left touchpad 803 using the touchinformation 1000 read out from the touch information table 1100 (S1902).The trajectory shape determining process is the same as the trajectoryshape determining process for the right touchpad (S1901).

Next, the direction determining unit 1703 checks the presence of bothtouch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 and touch information1000 of the left touchpad 803, from the results of the trajectory shapedetermining process for the right touchpad (S1901) and the trajectoryshape determining process for the left touchpad (S1902) (S1903).

Here, when both touch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 andtouch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803 are present (YES inS1903), the direction determining unit 1703 checks whether or not shapesof both trajectories match each other (S1904). In other words, thedirection determining unit 1703 checks whether or not the shape of thetrajectory of the right touchpad 802 matches that of the left touchpad803, from the results of the trajectory shape determining process forthe right touchpad (S1901) and the trajectory shape determining processfor the left touchpad (S1902).

More specifically, the direction determining unit 1703 checks whetherthe shapes of both trajectories of the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 803 are “convex upward” or “convex downward”.

On the other hand, when the touch information 1000 of the right touchpad802 or the touch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803 is absent (NOin S1903), the direction determining unit 1703 checks the presence ofone of the touch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 and thetouch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803, from the results of thetrajectory shape determining process for the right touchpad (S1901) andthe trajectory shape determining process for the left touchpad (S1902)(S1910).

It is to be noted that, here, an example is shown where when one of thetouch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 and the touchinformation 1000 of the left touchpad 803 is detected, the directiondetermining unit 1703 performs the direction determining process using ashape of a trajectory. However, only when both touch information 1000 ofthe right touchpad 802 and touch information 1000 of the left touchpad803 are detected, the direction determining unit 1703 may perform thedirection determining process. In this case, this process (S1910) can beomitted.

When the shape of the trajectory of the right touchpad 802 does notmatch that of the left touchpad 803 (NO in S1904), the directiondetermining unit 1703 determines the direction of the operating device31 as an “indefinite direction” (S1909). Moreover, when both touchinformation 1000 of the right touchpad 802 and touch information 1000 ofthe left touchpad 803 are absent (NO in S1910), the directiondetermining unit 1703 determines the direction of the operating device31 as the “indefinite direction”.

It is to be noted that, in this case, the direction determining unit1703 may determine that the direction of the operating device 31 is the“correct direction” as a default direction. The default direction may bea direction set in advance as a default value to the screen displayapparatus 3 before shipping or a direction set in advance as a defaultvalue by the user.

On the other hand, when the shape of the trajectory of the righttouchpad 802 matches that of the left touchpad 803 (YES in S1904), thedirection determining unit 1703 checks whether or not the matched shapeof the trajectories checked in the preceding process is “convex upward”(S1905). Moreover, when one of the touch information 1000 of the righttouchpad 802 and the touch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803 ispresent (YES in S1910), the direction determining unit 1703 checkswhether or not the matched shape of the trajectories is “convex upward”.

Here, when the matched shape of the trajectories is “convex upward” (YESin S1305), the direction determining unit 1703 determines a direction ofthe user's finger 804 as an upward direction of the right touchpad 802and the left touchpad 803, in view of structural characteristics or thelike of a person's finger. In other words, the direction determiningunit 1703 determines that the direction of the user's finger 804 is thesame as a direction in the coordinate system of the right touchpad 802and the coordinate system of the left touchpad 803.

Moreover, it is considered that the direction of the operating device 31intended by the user matches the direction of the user's finger 804.Thus, the direction determining unit 1703 determines the direction ofthe operating device 31 as the “correct direction” (S1906). Thedirection determining unit 1703 notifies the cursor position determiningunit 1704 of the determined direction of the operating device 31, andends this process.

Meanwhile, when the matched shape of the trajectories is not “convexupward” (NO in S1905), the direction determining unit 903 checks whetheror not the matched shape of the trajectories checked in the precedingprocess is “convex downward” (S1907).

Here, when the matched shape of the trajectories is “convex downward”(YES in S1907), the direction determining unit 1703 determines thedirection of the user's finger 804 as a downward direction of the righttouchpad 802 and the left touchpad 803, in view of the structuralcharacteristics or the like of the person's finger. In other words, thedirection determining unit 1703 determines that the direction of theuser's finger 804 is upside-down of a direction in the coordinate systemof the right touchpad 802 and the coordinate system of the left touchpad803 or a direction resulting from turning each of the right touchpad 802and the left touchpad 803 180 degrees to the right or the left.

Moreover, it is considered that the direction of the operating device 31intended by the user matches the direction of the user's finger 804.Thus, in contradiction to the case where the direction determining unit903 determines the direction of the operating device 21 as the “correctdirection” (S1906), the direction determining unit 1703 determines thedirection of the operating device 31 as the “reverse direction” (S1908).The direction determining unit 1703 notifies the cursor positiondetermining unit 1704 of the determined direction of the operatingdevice 31, and ends this process.

Meanwhile, when the matched shape of the trajectories is not “convexdownward” (NO in S1907), as with the case where the shapes of thetrajectories of both touchpads do not match each other (NO in S1904) orthe like, the direction determining unit 1703 determines the directionof the operating device 31 as the “indefinite direction” (S1909).

This is the end of the description of the lateral-holding directiondetermining process flow in the direction determining unit 1703.

The following describes the longitudinal-holding direction determiningprocess (S1810) shown in FIG. 18 with reference to FIG. 20.

First, the direction determining unit 1703 performs the trajectory shapedetermining process for the right touchpad 802 using the touchinformation 1000 read out from the touch information table 1100 (S2001).The trajectory shape determining process is described in detail laterwith reference to FIG. 21.

Next, the direction determining unit 1703 performs the trajectory shapedetermining process for the left touchpad 803 using the touchinformation 1000 read out from the touch information table 1100 (S2002).The trajectory shape determining process is the same as the trajectoryshape determining process for the right touchpad (S2001).

Next, the direction determining unit 1703 checks the presence of atleast one of the touch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 andthe touch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803, from the results ofthe trajectory shape determining process for the right touchpad (S2001)and the trajectory shape determining process for the left touchpad(S2002) (S2003).

Here, when both touch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 andtouch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803 are absent (NO inS2003), the direction determining unit 1703 determines a direction ofthe operating device 31 as an “indefinite direction” (S2008).

It is to be noted that, in this case, the direction determining unit1703 may determine that the direction of the operating device 31 is a“correct direction” as a default direction. The default direction may bea direction set in advance as a default value to the screen displayapparatus 3 before shipping or a direction set in advance as a defaultvalue by the user.

On the other hand, when the at least one of the touch information 1000of the right touchpad 802 and the touch information 1000 of the lefttouchpad 803 is present (YES in S2003), the direction determining unit1703 checks whether or not a shape of a trajectory checked in thepreceding process is “convex upward” (S2004). It is to be noted thatwhen both touch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 and touchinformation 1000 of the left touchpad 803 are present, the directiondetermining unit 1703 may use one of touch information items 1000 whichhas a greater amount of data.

Here, when the shape of the trajectory is “convex upward” (YES inS2004), the direction determining unit 1703 determines a direction ofthe user's finger 804 as an upward direction at the time when the screendisplay apparatus 3 is held longitudinally, in view of the structuralcharacteristics of the person's finger. It is to be noted that, in thisembodiment, a coordinate system of the right touchpad 802 and acoordinate system of the left touchpad 803 are fixed in a direction towhich the operating device 31 is held with the right touchpad 802 facinga forward direction.

It is considered that the direction of the operating device 31 intendedby the user matches the direction of the user's finger 804. Thus, thedirection determining unit 1703 determines the direction of theoperating device 31 as the “correct direction” (S2005). The directiondetermining unit 1703 notifies the cursor position determining unit 1704of the determined direction of the operating device 31, and ends thisprocess.

When the shape of the trajectory is not “convex upward” (NO in S2004),the direction determining unit 1703 checks whether or not the shape ofthe trajectory checked in the preceding process is “convex downward”(S2006).

Here, when the shape of the trajectory is “convex downward” (YES inS2006), the direction determining unit 1703 determines the direction ofthe user's finger 804 as a downward direction at the time when thescreen display apparatus 3 is held longitudinally, in view of thestructural characteristics or the like of the person's finger.

Moreover, it is considered that the direction of the operating device 31intended by the user matches the direction of the user's finger 804.Thus, in contradiction to the case where the direction determining unit1703 determines the direction of the operating device 31 as the “correctdirection” (S2005), the direction determining unit 1703 determines thedirection of the operating device 31 as a “reverse direction” (S2007).The direction determining unit 1703 notifies the cursor positiondetermining unit 1704 of the determined direction of the operatingdevice 31, and ends this process.

On the other hand, when the shape of the trajectory is not “convexdownward” (NO in S2006), as with the case where the touch informationitems of both touchpads are absent (NO in S2003), the directiondetermining unit 1703 determines the direction of the operating device31 as the “indefinite direction” (S2008).

This is the end of the description of the longitudinal-holding directiondetermining process flow in the direction determining unit 1703.

The following describes flows of the trajectory shape determiningprocess for the right touchpad (S1901) and the trajectory shapedetermining process for the left touchpad (S1902) shown in FIG. 19, andthe trajectory shape determining process for the right touchpad (S2001)and the trajectory shape determining process for the left touchpad(S2002) shown in FIG. 20, with reference to FIG. 21 and FIGS. 15A and15B.

First, the direction determining unit 1703 checks the presence orabsence of the touch information 1000 read out from the touchinformation table 1100 (S2101).

Here, when the read touch information 1000 is absent (NO in S2101), thedirection determining unit 1703 ends this process.

On the other hand, when the read touch information 1000 is present (YESin S2101), the direction determining unit 1703 calculates, for the touchinformation 1000, a slope Δ of a line segment connecting, on atrajectory, two points each of which is indicated by the positioninformation 1003 (S2102).

The slope Δ is calculated as (Slope Δ)=(yb−ya)/(xb−xa), where positioninformation items of two points A and B adjacent to each other inchronological order are A (xa, ya) and B (xb, yb). However, here, signsof (yb−ya) and (xb−xa) are considered, and held in association with thecalculated slope Δ. In this manner, the direction determining unit 1703calculates slopes Δ for all of read touch information items 1000.

Next, the direction determining unit 1703 calculates, for the slope Δcalculated in the preceding process (S2102), a degree of change δbetween two slopes Δ adjacent to each other in chronological order(S2103). The degree of change δ is calculated as (Degree of Changeδ)=ΔB−ΔA, where the two slopes Δ adjacent to each other in chronologicalorder are ΔA and ΔB. The direction determining unit 1703 calculatesdegrees of change δ for all of slopes Δ calculated in the precedingprocess (S2102).

Next, the direction determining unit 1703 determines a shape of atrajectory from the position information 1003, the slope Δ, and thedegree of change δ (S2104). This process is described again withreference to FIGS. 15A and 15B described in Embodiment 2.

Each of FIGS. 15A and 15B is the diagram showing the method ofdetermining a shape of a trajectory from the slopes Δ and the degrees ofchange δ and further estimating a direction of a user's finger based onthe shape of the trajectory, and consequently determining a direction ofthe operating device 31. Examples of the direction of the operatingdevice 31 include two patterns, that is, a “correct direction” and a“reverse direction”. FIG. 15A shows the “correct direction”, and FIG.15B shows the “reverse direction”.

The direction determining unit 1703 judges whether (i) a value of theslope calculated in the slope Δ calculation process (S2102) in thedirection determining process flow shown in FIG. 21, (ii) a difference“Δx” of the x coordinate and a difference “Δy” of the y coordinate atthe time of calculating the slope Δ, and (iii) a value of the degree ofchange δ calculated in the degree of change calculation process ispositive or negative (S2103) are positive or negative.

In each of FIGS. 15A and 15B, the table shows the results of judgingwhether the values are positive or negative. Here, “+” indicatespositive, and “−” indicates negative. Though not shown in the table, thecase where the slope Δ or the degree of change δ is 0 may be consideredas the special situation expressed by “±”. Moreover, though not shown inthe table, the case where the slope Δ is infinity, the case where theslope Δ cannot be calculated when Δx is 0, or the like can beconsidered. These cases may be considered as the characteristics of theshape of the trajectory.

In the case of FIG. 15A, the slope Δ changes from “+” to “−”, and all ofthe degrees of change δ are “−”. The direction determining unit 1703determines that the trajectory is “convex upward”, in consideration ofvalues of Δx and Δy.

In the case of FIG. 15B, the slope Δ changes from “−” to “+”, and all ofthe degrees of change δ are “+”. The direction determining unit 1703determines that the trajectory is “convex downward”, in consideration ofvalues of Δx and Δy.

When the combination of the changes in the slope Δ and the degree ofchange δ does not correspond to any of the cases of FIGS. 15A and 15B,the direction determining unit 1703 cannot determine the shape of thetrajectory. As a result, the direction determining unit 1703 determinesthe shape of the trajectory as the “indefinite shape”. For instance, thecase where the number of position information items 1003 included in thetrajectory is not enough can be considered as the case where thedirection determining unit 1703 cannot determine the shape of thetrajectory.

It is to be noted that even when the combination of the changes in theslope Δ and the degree of change δ does not correspond to any of thecases of FIGS. 15A and 15B, the direction determining unit 1703 maydetermine which of the patterns of FIGS. 15A and 15B the combination ofthe changes in the slope Δ and the degree of change δ is most similarto. In this manner, the direction determining unit 1703 may determinethe shape of the trajectory as one of the shapes shown in FIGS. 15A and15B.

This is the end of the description of the flows of the trajectory shapedetermining process for the right touchpad (S1901) and the trajectoryshape determining process for the left touchpad (S1902) shown in FIG.19, and the trajectory shape determining process for the right touchpad(S2001) and the trajectory shape determining process for the lefttouchpad (S2002) shown in FIG. 20.

This is the end of the description of the process flow of the screendisplay apparatus 3 according to Embodiment 3.

With the above-described configuration, the screen display apparatus 3causes the sensor information detecting unit 1702 to detect the sensorinformation from the sensor 1701, and thus recognizes the holdingdirection of the operating device 31. The touch information accumulationunit 902 accumulates the touch information items 1000 detected on thetwo touchpads, the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad 803, by thetouch information detecting unit 901.

The direction determining unit 1703 determines the direction of theoperating device 31 using the shape of the trajectory of one of theright touchpad 802 and the left touchpad 803 or the shapes of thetrajectories of both right touchpad 802 and left touchpad 803, from theresult of recognizing the holding direction by the sensor informationdetecting unit 1702 and the position information 1003 in the touchinformation 1000. The cursor position determining unit 1704 properlycorrects the position information 1003 in the touch information 1000received from the touch information detecting unit 901, depending on theholding direction and the direction of the operating device 31, anddetermines the display position of the cursor 806.

Consequently, even when the user laterally or longitudinally holds theoperating device 31 in any direction, the screen display apparatus 3makes it possible to properly and automatically determine the directionof the operating device 31 based only on the inputs to the righttouchpad 802 and the left touchpad 803 by the user, and display thecursor 806 at the correct position. Therefore, the screen displayapparatus 3 makes it possible to achieve the comfortable operability forthe user.

Embodiment 4

A screen display apparatus according to Embodiment 4 includes twotouchpads, a sensor for detecting which part of an operating device auser holds, and a sensor for detecting a gravity direction of theoperating device. The screen display apparatus recognizes a direction ofthe operating device using inputs on the touchpads of the screen displayapparatus by the user and the result of detecting a holding direction ofthe operating device by the sensor, and displays an alert on a screenwhen the result of the recognition does not match the result ofdetecting the holding direction of the operating device by the sensor.

FIG. 22 is a configuration diagram of a screen display apparatusaccording to Embodiment 4. In FIG. 22, the same reference signs areassigned to the same constituent elements as in FIG. 17, and adescription thereof is omitted.

A screen display apparatus 4 shown in FIG. 22 includes an alert datagenerating unit 2201, a screen data generating unit 2202, a cursorposition determining unit 2203, a first sensor 2204, a second sensor2205, the right touchpad 802, the left touchpad 803, the touchinformation detecting unit 901, the touch information accumulation unit902, the display unit 906, the sensor information detecting unit 1702,and the direction determining unit 1703.

An operating device 41 shown in FIG. 22 includes the first sensor 2204,the second sensor 2205, the right touchpad 802, and the left touchpad803. A display control device 40 includes the alert data generating unit2201, the screen data generating unit 2202, the touch informationdetecting unit 901, the touch information accumulation unit 902, thecursor position determining unit 2203, the sensor information detectingunit 1702, and the direction determining unit 1703.

The display control device 40 receives signals from the operating device41, and generates screen data to be displayed on a screen. It is to benoted that the display control device 40 may be incorporated into theoperating device 41 or the display unit 906. Here, although the touchinformation detecting unit 901 is included in the display control device40, the touch information detecting unit 901 may be included in theoperating device 41.

The alert data generating unit 2201 determines that the user holds theoperating device 41 in a “reverse direction”, from a direction of theoperating device 41 determined by the direction determining unit 1703,and generates an alert message (also referred to as alert data) to bepresented to the user. When a coordinate system of the right touchpad802 does not match that of the left touchpad 803, the alert datagenerating unit 2201 may generate the alert message.

It is to be noted that various feedback methods of not only generatingan alert message but also changing a color or shape of an object on ascreen can be applied as a method of presenting (feeding back) an alertor the like to a user. Moreover, a feedback method using not only screendisplay but also sound can be applied.

The screen data generating unit 2202 is a unit which generates screendata based on display positions or the like of a message generated bythe alert data generating unit 2201 and a cursor determined by thecursor position determining unit 2203.

The screen data generating unit 2202 superimposes a cursor image on animage of an application such as a video viewer and a web browser, andfurther superimposes, when receiving the alert message from the alertdata generating unit 2201, the alert message on the screen data. In thismanner, the screen data generating unit 2202 generates the screen datato be displayed by the display unit 906.

The cursor position determining unit 2203 is a unit which calculates aposition of the cursor to be displayed on the screen, from the holdingdirection of the operating device 41 notified by the directiondetermining unit 1703, the direction of the operating device 41determined by the direction determining unit 1703, and the touchinformation detected by the touch information detecting unit 901.

The cursor position determining unit 2203 converts (coordinate converts)values of position information in the touch information, based on theholding direction (lateral holding or longitudinal holding) of theoperating device 41. Moreover, when the direction determining unit 1703determines that the user does not hold the operating device 41 in the“correct direction”, the cursor position determining unit 2203 requeststhe alert data generating unit 2201 to generate the alert message forcalling attention to the user, urging the user to switch the holdingdirection of the operation device 41, and so on.

Here, the conversion of the position information based on the holdingdirection (lateral holding or longitudinal holding) of the operatingdevice 41 refers to a process of converting position information into acoordinate system of a holding direction set as a standard. Forinstance, when coordinate systems of the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 804 are set as fixed with the longitudinal holding of theoperating device 41 (the holding direction of the remote control 1601shown in FIG. 16) being a standard and when the operating device 41 isheld laterally, position information is converted.

In this case, the cursor position determining unit 2203 turns thecoordinate systems of the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad 80390 degrees to the left so that the coordinate systems correspond to thecoordinate system of the holding direction set as the standard. In otherwords, the cursor position determining unit 2203 turns the positioninformation 90 degrees to the left with central coordinates C of thecoordinate system of each of the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 803 being a pivot.

The first sensor 2204 is a touch sensor for detecting a touch with auser's finger. At least one touch sensor is provided at an outerperipheral part of the operating device 41. It is to be noted that sucha sensor for detecting the touch with the user's finger is a publiclyknown technique, and thus a detailed description thereof is omittedhere.

The second sensor 2205 is a gravity sensor for detecting a gravitydirection of the operating device 41, and is included in the operatingdevice 41. It is to be noted that such a gravity sensor for recognizingone of head and tail directions of the operating device 41 by detectinga direction of gravity on the operating device 41 is a publicly knowntechnique, and thus a detailed description thereof is omitted here.

The sensor information detecting unit 1702 detects held-part informationthat is information about part of the operating device 41 held by theuser, from the first sensor 2204, and gravity direction information thatis information about a direction of gravity on the operating device 41,from the second sensor 2205. The gravity direction information mayinclude information about a slope of the operating device 41 withrespect to a gravity direction. Moreover, the gravity directioninformation may include information about upward and downward directionsof the operating device 41, that is, information indicating which faceof the operating device 41 is an upper side or a lower side with respectto the gravity direction.

Moreover, the cursor position determining unit 2203 determines a displayposition of the cursor (a cursor position) on the screen using theposition information received from the touch information detecting unit901 or the position information corrected by the cursor positiondetermining unit 2203.

This is the end of the description of the configuration of the screendisplay apparatus 4 according to Embodiment 4.

The following describes a whole process flow of the screen displayapparatus 4 according to Embodiment 4 shown in FIG. 22 with reference toFIG. 23. It is to be noted that the “lateral-holding directiondetermining process (S2308)” and the “longitudinal-holding directiondetermining process (S2309)” shown in FIG. 23 are the same as thosedescribed in Embodiment 3 with reference to FIGS. 19 to 21. Thus,referring to the description of FIGS. 19 to 21 in Embodiment 3, adescription of the processes is omitted here. However, in thedescription of FIGS. 19 to 21 in Embodiment 3, the “screen displayapparatus 3” corresponds to the “screen display apparatus 4”, and theconstituent elements in Embodiment 3 such as the “cursor positiondetermining unit 1704” correspond to constituent elements in Embodiment4 such as the “cursor position determining unit 2203”.

First, the touch information detecting unit 901 of the screen displayapparatus 4 checks whether or not to continue detecting an input to theright touchpad 802 or the left touchpad 803, based on an instructionfrom an instruction unit not shown in FIG. 22 (S2301).

Here, when the touch information detecting unit 901 is instructed todiscontinue detecting the input to the right touchpad 803 or the lefttouchpad 803 (NO in S2301), the screen display apparatus 4 ends theprocess.

On the other hand, when the touch information detecting unit 901 isinstructed to continue detecting the input to the right touchpad 802 orthe left touchpad 803 (YES in S2301), the touch information detectingunit 901 checks the presence or absence of the input to the righttouchpad 802 or the left touchpad 803. Then, the touch informationdetecting unit 901 detects the presence or absence of the touchinformation 1000 shown in FIG. 10 (S2302).

Here, when the touch information detecting unit 901 detects “the absenceof the touch information” (NO in S2302), the touch information detectingunit 901 checks again whether or not to continue detecting the input(S2301).

On the other hand, when the touch information detecting unit 901 detects“the presence of the touch information” (YES in S2302), the touchinformation detecting unit 901 causes the touch information accumulationunit 902 to accumulate the touch information 1000 (S2303). Morespecifically, the touch information detecting unit 901 adds the touchinformation 1000 to the touch information table 1100 shown in FIG. 11.Moreover, the touch information detecting unit 901 transmits thedetected touch information 1000 to the cursor position determining unit2203, for cursor display on the screen.

The cursor position determining unit 2203 receives the touch information1000 from the touch information detecting unit 901. Then, the cursorposition determining unit 2203 checks a direction of the operatingdevice 41 with the direction determining unit 1703 so as to determinewhether or not it is necessary to correct position information 1003 inthe touch information 1000 (S2304).

The direction determining unit 1703 is checked by the cursor positiondetermining unit 2203. Then, the direction determining unit 1703accesses the touch information table 1100 of the touch informationaccumulation unit 902 to read out the touch information 1000 (S2305).Here, the direction determining unit 1703 reads out touch information1000 generated during a predetermined time period or touch information1000 having a predetermined amount which is set to the directiondetermining unit 1703 in advance.

It is to be noted that the touch information accumulation unit 902sequentially accumulates the touch information 1000 received from thetouch information detecting unit 901 at predetermined time intervals.This makes it possible to obtain, by calculation, an amount of touchinformation generated during a predetermined time period.

Moreover, when the direction determining unit 1703 reads out the touchinformation 1000, the touch information accumulation unit 902 may causethe direction determining unit 1703 or the like to temporarily hold theread touch information 1000. The touch information accumulation unit 902may read out only a difference from touch information 1000 to be newlyrequired. This reduces an amount of the touch information 1000 to beread out subsequently.

Next, the direction determining unit 1703 checks, with the sensorinformation detecting unit 1702, the presence or absence of sensorinformation from the first sensor 2204. The sensor information detectingunit 1702 checks the presence or absence of a signal detected by thefirst sensor 2204 (S2306).

Here, when the sensor information detecting unit 1702 detects the sensorinformation from the first sensor 2204 (YES in S2306), the sensorinformation detecting unit 1702 obtains the sensor information from thefirst sensor 2204. Then, the sensor information detecting unit 1702detects which part of the operating device 41 the user holds, and checkswhether the operating device 41 is “held laterally” (S2307).

For instance, the sensor 1701, which is a touch sensor, may be disposedat each of four sides of the operating device 41 that are two long sidefaces and two short side faces. When the sensor information detectingunit 1702 detects touches at the sensors 1701 on the two short sidefaces, the operating device 41 is recognized as being “held laterally”.When the sensor information detecting unit 1702 detects a touch at oneof the sensors 1701 on the long side faces, the operating device 41 isrecognized as being “held longitudinally”.

Subsequently, the sensor information detecting unit 1702 notifies thedirection determining unit 1703 of “lateral holding” or “longitudinalholding” as a holding direction.

When the operating device 41 is “held laterally” (YES in S2307) or whenthe sensor information detecting unit 1702 does not detect the sensorinformation from the first sensor 2204 (NO in S2306), the directiondetermining unit 1703 determines a direction of the operating device 41at the time when the operating device 41 is “held laterally”, using thetouch information 1000 read out in the touch information readout process(S2305) (S2308: a lateral-holding direction determining process).

Subsequently, the direction determining unit 1703 notifies the cursorposition determining unit 2203 of the determined direction of theoperating device 41. The lateral-holding direction determining processis the same as the process described in Embodiment 3 with reference toFIG. 19.

On the other hand, when the operating device 41 is “held longitudinally”(NO in S2307), the direction determining unit 1703 determines thedirection of the operating device 41 at the time when the operatingdevice 41 is “held longitudinally”, using the touch information 1000read out in the touch information readout process (S2305) (S2309: alongitudinal-holding direction determining process). Subsequently, thedirection determining unit 1703 notifies the cursor position determiningunit 2203 of the determined direction of the operating device 41. Thelongitudinal-holding direction determining process is the same as theprocess described in Embodiment 3 with reference to FIG. 20.

Next, the cursor position determining unit 2203 checks, with thedirection determining unit 1703, the presence or absence of sensorinformation from the second sensor 2205. Next, the direction determiningunit 1703 checks, with the sensor information detecting unit 1702, thepresence or absence of sensor information from the first sensor 2204(S2310).

Here, when the sensor information detecting unit 1702 detects the sensorinformation from the second sensor 2205 (YES in S2310), the cursorposition determining unit 2203 is notified of two directions. In otherwords, the direction determining unit 1703 notifies the cursor positiondetermining unit 2203 of the direction of the operating device 41determined in one of the lateral-holding direction determining process(S2308) and the longitudinal-holding direction determining process(S2309), and the direction of the operating device 41 detected by thesecond sensor 2205. The cursor position determining unit 2203 judgeswhether or not the directions match each other (S2311).

When the directions do not match each other (NO in S2311), the cursorposition determining unit 2203 requests the alert data generating unit2201 to generate an alert message. The alert data generating unit 2201generates the alert message for notifying the user that the direction ofthe operating device 41 is reverse or causing the user to recognize thedirection of the operating device 41 (S2316).

More specifically, the alert data generating unit 2201 generates thealert message such as “Please check whether the remote control is heldin the correction direction” and “Please reverse the direction of theremote control”, and transmits the generated alert message to the screendata generating unit 2202.

When the screen data generating unit 2202 receives the alert messagefrom the alert data generating unit 2201, the screen data generatingunit 2202 superimposes the alert message on screen data (S2317).

Meanwhile, when the sensor information detecting unit 1702 does notdetect the sensor information from the second sensor 2205 (NO in S2310),the cursor position determining unit 2203 converts the positioninformation 1003 based on the holding direction (lateral holding orlongitudinal holding) of the operating device 41. Moreover, when thedirection of the operating device 41 determined by the directiondetermining unit 1703 is the same as the direction indicated by thesensor information (YES in S2311), the cursor position determining unit2203 converts the position information 1003 based on the holdingdirection of the operating device 41.

For example, when the operating device 41 is “held longitudinally”, thecursor position determining unit 2203 converts the position information1003 in the touch information 1000 received from the touch informationdetecting unit 901. Specifically, when the operating device 41 is “heldlongitudinally”, the cursor position determining unit 2203 turns theposition information 90 degrees to the left with central coordinates Cof the coordinate system of each of the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 803 being a pivot. This makes it possible to obtain anappropriate cursor position.

Meanwhile, when the operating device 41 is “held laterally”, thecoordinate systems of both right touchpad 802 and left touchpad 803match the direction. Thus, such coordinate conversion is not performed.

Furthermore, the cursor position determining unit 2203 corrects theposition information 1003 in the touch information 1000 received fromthe touch information detecting unit 901 (S2312: a position informationcorrecting process). Here, the cursor position determining unit 2203corrects the position information 1003 based on the direction of theoperating device 41 which is notified by the direction determining unit1703 and determined in one of the lateral-holding direction determiningprocess (S2308) or the longitudinal-holding direction determiningprocess (S2309).

More specifically, the cursor position determining unit 2203 correctsthe position information 1003 so that the cursor is displayed at thesame position as in the case where the direction of the operating device41 is the “correct direction”. The position information correctingprocess is the same as the process described in Embodiment 1.

Next, the cursor position determining unit 2203 determines the cursorposition on the screen (S2313). Specifically, the cursor positiondetermining unit 2203 obtains, from the maximum value and the minimumvalue in each of a coordinate system of the right touchpad 802 and acoordinate system on screen display, a magnification ratio between thecoordinate system of the right touchpad 802 and the coordinate system onthe screen display. Moreover, the cursor position determining unit 2203obtains, from the maximum value and the minimum value in each of acoordinate system of the left touchpad 803 and the coordinate system onthe screen display, a magnification ratio between the coordinate systemof the left touchpad 803 and the coordinate system on the screendisplay. This allows the cursor position determining unit 2203 todetermine the cursor position on the screen.

In other words, the cursor position determining unit 2203 determines,for each of an x coordinate and a y coordinate of the positioninformation, a cursor position corresponding to the right touchpad 802through the following calculation: (the cursor position of the righttouchpad 802 on the screen display)=(the cursor position on the righttouchpad 802)×{(the maximum value of the coordinate system on the screendisplay)−(the minimum value of the coordinate system on the screendisplay)}/{(the maximum value of the coordinate system on the righttouchpad 802)−(the minimum value of the coordinate system on the righttouchpad 802)}.

Likewise, the cursor position determining unit 2203 determines a cursorposition corresponding to the left touchpad 803 through the followingcalculation: (the cursor position of the left touchpad 803 on the screendisplay)=(the cursor position on the left touchpad 803)×{(the maximumvalue of the coordinate system on the screen display)−(the minimum valueof the coordinate system on the screen display)}/{(the maximum value ofthe coordinate system on the left touchpad 803)−(the minimum value ofthe coordinate system on the left touchpad 803)}.

Subsequently, the cursor position determining unit 2203 notifies thescreen data generating unit 2202 of the x coordinate and the ycoordinate of each of the determined cursor positions.

It is to be noted that a different coordinate system on the screendisplay may be assigned to each of the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 803. In this case, “the maximum value of the coordinate systemon the screen display” and “the minimum value of the coordinate systemon the screen display” are provided for each of the right touchpad 802and the left touchpad 803 in the above respective calculations. Thisallows each cursor position to be determined.

Next, the screen data generating unit 2202 generates screen data bysuperimposing a cursor image on a video, an animation, or the like to bedisplayed by the display unit 906, based on the cursor position notifiedby the cursor position determining unit 2203 (S2314).

The display unit 906 displays, on the screen or the like, the screendata received from the screen data generating unit 2202 (S2315). Afterthis process ends, the touch information detecting unit 901 checks againwhether or not to continue detecting the input (S2301).

It is to be noted that when the sensor information detecting unit 1702does not detect the sensor information from the second sensor 2205 (NOin S2310), the cursor position determining unit 2203 may not perform thecorrection of the position information (S2312) but request thegeneration of the alert message (S2316). Alternatively, the cursorposition determining unit 2203 may determine the cursor position on thescreen (S2313) without the correction.

This is the end of the description of the whole process flow of thescreen display apparatus 4 which is shown in FIG. 23.

With the above-described configuration, the touch informationaccumulation unit 902 of the screen display apparatus 4 accumulates thetouch information items 1000 detected on the two touchpads, the righttouchpad 802 and the left touchpad 803, by the touch informationdetecting unit 901. Then, the direction determining unit 1703 determinesthe direction of the operating device 41 using the shapes of thetrajectories of the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad 803, fromthe position information 1003 in the touch information 1000.

The direction of the operating device 41 determined by the directiondetermining unit 1703 is checked against the direction of the operatingdevice 41 detected by the second sensor 2205. When the directions do notmatch each other, the alert message is displayed on the screen. Thus,when it is judged that the user improperly holds the operating device41, the screen display apparatus 4 makes it possible to properly andpromptly urge the user to switch the holding direction of the operatingdevice 41 or the like, using the inputs to the right touchpad 802 andthe left touchpad 803 by the user.

Embodiment 5

A screen display apparatus according to Embodiment 5 includes twotouchpads, and recognizes a direction of an operating device using adistribution of position information (coordinates) indicating inputs onthe touchpads by a user. The screen display apparatus then corrects adisplay position of a cursor on a screen based on the direction of theoperating device.

FIG. 24 is a configuration diagram of a screen display apparatusaccording to Embodiment 5. In FIG. 24, the same reference signs areassigned to the same constituent elements as in FIG. 17, and adescription thereof is omitted.

A screen display apparatus 5 shown in FIG. 24 includes a directiondetermining unit 2401, the right touchpad 802, the left touchpad 803,the touch information detecting unit 901, the touch informationaccumulation unit 902, the screen data generating unit 905, the displayunit 906, the sensor 1701, the sensor information detecting unit 1702,and the cursor position determining unit 1704.

The operating device 31 shown in FIG. 24 includes the right touchpad802, the left touchpad 803, and the sensor 1701. A display controldevice 50 includes the direction determining unit 2401, the touchinformation detecting unit 901, the touch information accumulation unit902, the screen data generating unit 905, the sensor informationdetecting unit 1702, and the cursor position determining unit 1704.

The display control device 50 receives signals from the operating device31, and generates screen data to be displayed on a screen. It is to benoted that the display control device 50 may be incorporated into theoperating device 31 or the display unit 906. Here, although the touchinformation detecting unit 901 is included in the display control device50, the touch information detecting unit 901 may be included in theoperating device 31.

The direction determining unit 2401 is a unit which determines thedirection of the operating device 31 based on a holding position of theoperating device 31 by the user, which is detected by the sensorinformation detecting unit 1702, and touch information accumulated bythe touch information accumulation unit 902. Specifically, the directiondetermining unit 2401 determines, from the holding position detected bythe sensor information detecting unit 1702, whether the holdingdirection of the operating device 31 is lateral holding or longitudinalholding. Then, the direction determining unit 2401 determines whichdirection the operating device 31 faces, based on a distribution ofposition information in touch information generated during apredetermined time period or having a predetermined amount.

It is to be noted that, hereafter, although the direction determiningunit 2401 can basically determine the direction of the operating device31 using touch information obtained through an operation of naturallytouching a touchpad by the user, the present invention is not limited tothis. Such touch information is obtained at a moment when the userstarts holding the operating device 31, when an application is switched,when a holding direction of the operating device 31 is changed while anapplication is being used, or the like.

This is the end of the description of the configuration of the screendisplay apparatus 5 according to Embodiment 5.

The following describes a process flow of the screen display apparatus 5according to Embodiment 5 shown in FIG. 24 with reference to FIGS. 25 to28.

FIG. 25 is a whole process flow of the screen display apparatus 5according to Embodiment 5 which is shown in FIG. 24.

First, the touch information detecting unit 901 of the screen displayapparatus 5 checks whether or not to continue detecting an input to theright touchpad 802 or the left touchpad 803, based on an instructionfrom an instruction unit not shown in FIG. 24 (S2501).

Here, when the touch information detecting unit 901 is instructed todiscontinue detecting the input to the right touchpad 802 or the lefttouchpad 803 (NO in S2501), the screen display apparatus 5 ends theprocess.

On the other hand, when the touch information detecting unit 901 isinstructed to continue detecting the input to the right touchpad 802 orthe left touchpad 803 (YES in S2501), the touch information detectingunit 901 checks the presence or absence of the input to the righttouchpad 802 or the left touchpad 803. Then, the touch informationdetecting unit 901 detects the presence or absence of the touchinformation 1000 shown in FIG. 10 (S2502).

Here, when the touch information detecting unit 901 detects “the absenceof the touch information” (NO in S2502), the touch information detectingunit 901 checks again whether or not to continue detecting the input(S2501).

On the other hand, when the touch information detecting unit 901 detects“the presence of the touch information” (YES in S2502), the touchinformation detecting unit 901 causes the touch information accumulationunit 902 to accumulate the touch information 1000 (S2503). Morespecifically, the touch information detecting unit 901 adds the touchinformation 1000 to the touch information table 1100 shown in FIG. 11.Moreover, the touch information detecting unit 901 transmits thedetected touch information 1000 to the cursor position determining unit1704, for cursor display on the screen.

Next, the cursor position determining unit 1704 receives the touchinformation 1000 from the touch information detecting unit 901. Then,the cursor position determining unit 1704 checks a direction of theoperating device 31 with the direction determining unit 2401 so as todetermine whether or not it is necessary to correct position information1003 in the touch information 1000 (S2504).

Next, the direction determining unit 2401 is checked by the cursorposition determining unit 1704. Then, the direction determining unit2401 accesses the touch information table 1100 of the touch informationaccumulation unit 902 to read out the touch information 1000 (S2505).Here, the direction determining unit 2401 reads out touch information1000 generated during a predetermined time period or touch information1000 having a predetermined amount which is set to the directiondetermining unit 2401 in advance.

It is to be noted that the touch information accumulation unit 902sequentially accumulates the touch information 1000 received from thetouch information detecting unit 901 at predetermined time intervals.This makes it possible to obtain, by calculation, an amount of touchinformation generated during a predetermined time period.

Moreover, when the direction determining unit 2401 reads out the touchinformation 1000, the touch information accumulation unit 902 may causethe direction determining unit 2401 or the like to temporarily hold theread touch information 1000. The touch information accumulation unit 902may read out only a difference from touch information 1000 to be newlyrequired. This reduces an amount of the touch information 1000 to beread out subsequently.

Next, the direction determining unit 2401 checks the presence or absenceof sensor information with the sensor information detecting unit 1702.The sensor information detecting unit 1702 checks the presence orabsence of a signal detected by the sensor 1701 (S2506).

Here, the sensor information detecting unit 1702 obtains the sensorinformation when detecting the sensor information (YES in S2506), anddetects which part of the operating device 31 the user holds (S2507).

For instance, the sensor 1701, which is a touch sensor, may be disposedat each of four sides of the operating device 31 that are two long sidefaces and two short side faces. When the sensor information detectingunit 1702 detects touches at the sensors 1701 on the two short sidefaces, the operating device 31 is recognized as being “held laterally”.When the sensor information detecting unit 1702 detects a touch at oneof the sensors 1701 on the long side faces, the operating device 31 isrecognized as being “held longitudinally”.

Subsequently, the sensor information detecting unit 1702 notifies thedirection determining unit 2401 of “lateral holding” or “longitudinalholding” as a holding direction.

Next, the direction determining unit 2401 checks whether or not theoperating device 31 is “held laterally”, from the holding directionnotified by the sensor information detecting unit 1702 (S2508).

When the operating device 31 is “held laterally” (YES in S2508), thedirection of the operating device 31 is determined (S2509: alateral-holding direction determining process). In this case, thedirection determining unit 2401 determines the direction of theoperating device 31 at the time when the operation device 31 is heldlaterally, using the touch information 1000 read out in the touchinformation readout process (S2505).

Moreover, when the sensor information detecting unit 1702 does notdetect the sensor information (NO in S2506), the direction determiningunit 2401 determines, using the touch information 1000, the direction ofthe operating device 31 at the time when the operating device 31 is“held laterally”. Subsequently, the direction determining unit 2401notifies the cursor position determining unit 1704 of the determineddirection of the operating device 31. The lateral-holding directiondetermining process is described in detail later with reference to FIG.26.

On the other hand, when the operating device 31 is “held longitudinally”(NO in S2508), the direction determining unit 2401 determines thedirection of the operating device 31 at the time when the operatingdevice 31 is “held longitudinally”, using the touch information 1000read out in the touch information readout process (S2505) (S2510: alongitudinal-holding direction determining process). Subsequently, thedirection determining unit 2401 notifies the cursor position determiningunit 1704 of the determined direction of the operating device 31. Thelongitudinal-holding direction determining process is described indetail later with reference to FIG. 27.

Next, the cursor position determining unit 1704 is notified of thedetermined direction of the operating device 31 by the directiondetermining unit 2401. Then, the cursor position determining unit 1704determines whether or not the direction of the operating device 31 is a“correct direction” (S2511).

Here, when the direction of the operating device 31 is the “correctdirection” (YES in S2511), the cursor position determining unit 1704performs a process of determining a cursor position on a screen (S2513).

On the other hand, when the direction of the operating device 31 isother than the “correct direction” (NO in S2511), the cursor positiondetermining unit 1704 corrects the position information 1003 in thetouch information 1000 received from the touch information detectingunit 901 (S2512: a position information correcting process). In thiscase, the cursor position determining unit 1704 corrects, based on thedirection of the operating device 31, the position information 1003 sothat the cursor is displayed at the same position as in the case wherethe direction of the operating device 31 is the “correct direction”. Theposition information correcting process is the same as the processdescribed in Embodiment 1.

Next, the cursor position determining unit 1704 determines the cursorposition on the screen using the position information 1003 in the touchinformation 1000 received from the touch information detecting unit 901or the corrected position information 1003 (S2513).

Specifically, the cursor position determining unit 1704 obtains, fromthe maximum value and the minimum value in each of a coordinate systemof the right touchpad 802 and a coordinate system on screen display, amagnification ratio between the coordinate system of the right touchpad802 and the coordinate system on the screen display. Moreover, thecursor position determining unit 1704 obtains, from the maximum valueand the minimum value in each of a coordinate system of the lefttouchpad 803 and the coordinate system on the screen display, amagnification ratio between the coordinate system of the left touchpad803 and the coordinate system on the screen display. This allows thecursor position determining unit 1704 to determine the cursor positionon the screen.

In other words, the cursor position determining unit 1704 determines,for each of an x coordinate and a y coordinate of the positioninformation, a cursor position corresponding to the right touchpad 802through the following calculation: (the cursor position of the righttouchpad 802 on the screen display)=(the cursor position on the righttouchpad 802)×{(the maximum value of the coordinate system on the screendisplay)−(the minimum value of the coordinate system on the screendisplay)}/{(the maximum value of the coordinate system on the righttouchpad 802)−(the minimum value of the coordinate system on the righttouchpad 802)}.

Likewise, the cursor position determining unit 1704 determines a cursorposition corresponding to the left touchpad 803 through the followingcalculation: (the cursor position of the left touchpad 803 on the screendisplay)=(the cursor position on the left touchpad 803)×{(the maximumvalue of the coordinate system on the screen display)−(the minimum valueof the coordinate system on the screen display)}/{(the maximum value ofthe coordinate system on the left touchpad 803)−(the minimum value ofthe coordinate system on the left touchpad 803)}.

Subsequently, the cursor position determining unit 1704 notifies thescreen data generating unit 905 of the x coordinate and the y coordinateof each of the determined cursor positions.

It is to be noted that a different coordinate system on the screendisplay may be assigned to each of the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 803. In this case, “the maximum value of the coordinate systemon the screen display” and “the minimum value of the coordinate systemon the screen display” are provided for each of the right touchpad 802and the left touchpad 803 in the above respective calculations. Thisallows each cursor position to be determined.

The screen data generating unit 905 generates screen data bysuperimposing a cursor image on a video, an animation, or the like to bedisplayed by the display unit 906, based on the cursor position notifiedby the cursor position determining unit 1704 (S2514). Then, the screendata generating unit 905 transmits the generated screen data to thedisplay unit 906.

The display unit 906 displays, on the screen or the like, the screendata received from the screen data generating unit 905 (S2515). Afterthis process ends, the touch information detecting unit 901 checks againwhether or not to continue detecting the input (S2501).

This is the end of the description of the whole process flow of thescreen display apparatus 5 which is shown in FIG. 25.

The following describes the lateral-holding direction determiningprocess (S2506) shown in FIG. 25 with reference to FIG. 26.

First, the direction determining unit 2401 performs a distribution ofposition information determining process for the right touchpad 802using the touch information 1000 read out from the touch informationtable 1100 (S2601). The distribution of position information determiningprocess is described in detail later with reference to FIG. 28.

Next, the direction determining unit 2401 performs a distribution ofposition information determining process for the left touchpad 803 usingthe touch information 1000 read out from the touch information table1100 (S2602). Although the distribution of position informationdetermining process is the same as the distribution of positioninformation determining process for the right touchpad (S2601), when adistribution of position information is determined, a distribution forleft finger to be described with reference to FIG. 28 is used.

Next, the direction determining unit 2401 checks the presence of bothtouch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 and touch information1000 of the left touchpad 803, from the results of the distribution ofposition information determining process for the right touchpad (S2601)and the distribution of position information determining process for theleft touchpad (S2602) (S2603).

Here, when both touch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 andtouch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803 are present (YES inS2603), the direction determining unit 2401 checks whether or not thetwo determination results match each other (S2604). In other words, thedirection determining unit 2401 checks, from the results of thedistribution of position information determining process for the righttouchpad (S2601) and the distribution of position informationdetermining process for the left touchpad (S2602), whether or not theresult of determining a distribution of position information of theright touchpad 802 matches that of the left touchpad 803. Specifically,the direction determining unit 2401 checks whether or not bothdetermination results of the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad803 indicate an “upward direction” or whether or not the both indicate a“downward direction”.

On the other hand, when one of the touch information 1000 of the righttouchpad 802 and the touch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803 isabsent (NO in S2603), the direction determining unit 2401 checks thepresence or absence of the one of the touch information 1000 of theright touchpad 802 and the touch information 1000 of the left touchpad803 (S2610). In other words, in this case, the direction determiningunit 2401 checks, from the results of the distribution of positioninformation determining process for the right touchpad (S2601) and thedistribution of position information determining process for the lefttouchpad (S2602), which one of the touch information 1000 of the righttouchpad 802 and the touch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803 ispresent.

It is to be noted that, here, an example is shown where, when one of thetouch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 and the touchinformation 1000 of the left touchpad 801 is detected, the directiondetermining unit 2401 performs the direction determining process using adistribution. However, only when both touch information 1000 of theright touchpad 802 and touch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803are detected, the direction determining unit 2401 may perform thedirection determining process. In this case, this process (S2610) can beomitted.

When the determination result of the distribution of the positioninformation of the right touchpad 802 does not match that of the lefttouchpad 803 (NO in S2604), the direction determining unit 2401determines the direction of the operating device 31 as an “indefinitedirection” (S2609). Moreover, when both touch information 1000 of theright touchpad 802 and the left touchpad 801 are absent (NO in S2620),the direction determining unit 2403 also determines the direction of theoperating device 31 as the “indefinite direction”.

It is to be noted that, in this case, the direction determining unit2401 may determine that the direction of the operating device 31 is the“correct direction” as a default direction. The default direction may bea direction set in advance as a default value to the screen displayapparatus 5 before shipping or a direction set in advance as a defaultvalue by the user.

When the determination result of the distribution of the positioninformation of the right touchpad 802 matches that of the left touchpad803 (YES in S2604), the direction determining unit 2401 checks whetheror not the matched determination result of the distribution of theposition information checked in the preceding process indicates the“upward direction” (S2605). Moreover, when one of the touch information1000 of the right touchpad 802 and the touch information 1000 of theleft touchpad 801 is present (YES in S2610), the direction determiningunit 2401 also checks whether or not the matched determination result ofthe distribution of the position information indicates the “upwarddirection”.

Here, when the matched determination result of the distribution of theposition information indicates the “upward direction” (YES in S2605),the direction determining unit 2401 determines a direction of the user'sfinger 804 as an upward direction of the right touchpad 802 and the lefttouchpad 803, in view of structural characteristics or the like of aperson's finger. In other words, the direction determining unit 2401determines that the direction of the user's finger 804 is the same as adirection in the coordinate system of the right touchpad 802 and thecoordinate system of the left touchpad 803.

Moreover, it is considered that the direction of the operating device 31intended by the user matches the direction of the user's finger 804.Thus, the direction determining unit 2401 determines the direction ofthe operating device 31 as the “correct direction” (S2606). Thedirection determining unit 2401 notifies the cursor position determiningunit 1704 of the determined direction of the operating device 31, andends this process.

Meanwhile, when the matched determination result of the distribution ofthe position information does not indicate the “upward direction” (NO inS2605), the direction determining unit 2401 checks whether or not thematched determination result of the distribution of the positioninformation checked in the preceding process indicates a “downwarddirection” (S2607).

Here, when the matched determination result of the distribution of theposition information indicates the “downward direction” (YES in S2607),the direction determining unit 2401 determines the direction of theuser's finger 804 as a downward direction of the right touchpad 802 andthe left touchpad 803, in view of the structural characteristics or thelike of the person's finger. In other words, the direction determiningunit 2401 determines that the direction of the user's finger 804 isupside-down of the direction in the coordinate system of the righttouchpad 802 and the coordinate system of the left touchpad 803 or adirection resulting from turning each of the right touchpad 802 and theleft touchpad 803 180 degrees to the right or the left.

Moreover, it is considered that the direction of the operating device 31intended by the user matches the direction of the user's finger 804.Thus, in contradiction to the case where the direction determining unit2401 determines the direction of the operating device 31 as the “correctdirection” (S2606), the direction determining unit 2401 determines thedirection of the operating device 31 as a “reverse direction” (S2608).The direction determining unit 2401 notifies the cursor positiondetermining unit 1704 of the determined direction of the operatingdevice 31, and ends this process.

Meanwhile, when the matched determination result of the distribution ofthe position information does not indicate the “downward direction” (NOin S2607), as with the case where the distributions of the positioninformation of both touchpads do not match each other (NO in S2604) orthe like, the direction determining unit 2401 determines the directionof the operating device 31 as the “indefinite direction” (S2609).

This is the end of the description of the lateral-holding directiondetermining process flow in the direction determining unit 2401.

The following describes the longitudinal-holding direction determiningprocess (S2510) shown in FIG. 25 with reference to FIG. 27.

First, the direction determining unit 2401 performs a distribution ofposition information determining process for the right touchpad 802using the touch information 1000 read out from the touch informationtable 1100 (S2701). The distribution of position information determiningprocess is described in detail later with reference to FIG. 28.

Next, the direction determining unit 2401 performs a distribution ofposition information determining process for the left touchpad 803 usingthe touch information 1000 read out from the touch information table1100 (S2702). Although the distribution of position informationdetermining process is the same as the distribution of positioninformation determining process for the right touchpad (S2701), when adistribution of position information is determined, a distribution forleft finger to be described with reference to FIG. 28 is used.

Next, the direction determining unit 2401 checks the presence of atleast one of the touch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 andthe touch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803, from the results ofthe distribution of position information determining process for theright touchpad (S2701) and the distribution of position informationdetermining process for the left touchpad (S2702) (S2703).

Here, when both touch information 1000 of the right touchpad 802 andtouch information of 1000 the left touchpad 803 are absent (NO inS2703), the direction determining unit 2401 determines a direction ofthe operating device 31 as the “indefinite direction” (S2708).

It is to be noted that, in this case, the direction determining unit2401 may determine that the direction of the operating device 31 is the“correct direction” as a default direction. The default direction may bea direction set in advance as a default value to the screen displayapparatus 5 before shipping or a direction set in advance as a defaultvalue by the user.

On the other hand, when at least one of the touch information 1000 ofthe right touchpad 802 and the touch information 1000 of the lefttouchpad 803 is present (YES in S2703), the direction determining unit2401 checks whether or not a determination result of a distribution ofthe position information checked in the preceding process indicates the“upward direction” (S2704).

It is to be noted that when both touch information 1000 of the righttouchpad 802 and touch information 1000 of the left touchpad 803 arepresent, the direction determining unit 2401 may use, between the twotouch information items 1000 received from the touch informationaccumulation unit 902, the touch information 1000 having a greateramount of data.

Here, when the determination result of the distribution of the positioninformation indicates the “upward direction” (YES in S2704), thedirection determining unit 2401 determines a direction of the user'sfinger 804 as the upward direction of the operating device 31 at thetime when the operating device 31 is held longitudinally, in view of thestructural characteristics or the like of the person's finger. It is tobe noted that, in this embodiment, a coordinate system of the righttouchpad 802 and a coordinate system of the left touchpad 803 are fixedto a direction in which the operating device 31 is held with the righttouchpad 802 facing a forward direction.

It is considered that the direction of the operating device 31 intendedby the user matches the direction of the user's finger 804. Thus, thedirection determining unit 2401 determines the direction of theoperating device 31 as the “correct direction” (S2705). The directiondetermining unit 2401 notifies the cursor position determining unit 1704of the determined direction of the operating device 31, and ends thisprocess.

Meanwhile, when the determination result of the distribution of theposition information does not indicate the “upward direction” (NO inS2704), the direction determining unit 2401 checks whether or not thedetermination result of the distribution of the position informationchecked in the preceding process indicates the “downward direction”(S2706).

Here, when the determination result of the distribution of the positioninformation indicates the “downward direction” (YES in S2706), thedirection determining unit 2401 determines the direction of the user'sfinger 804 as the downward direction of the operating device 31 at thetime when the operating device 31 is held longitudinally, in view of thestructural characteristics or the like of the person's finger.

Moreover, it is considered that the direction of the operating device 31intended by the user matches the direction of the user's finger 804.Thus, in contradiction to the case where the direction determining unit2401 determines the direction of the operating device 31 as the “correctdirection” (S2705), the direction determining unit 2401 determines thedirection of the operating device 31 as a “reverse direction” (S2707).The direction determining unit 2401 notifies the cursor positiondetermining unit 1704 of the determined direction of the operatingdevice 31, and ends this process.

Meanwhile, when the determination result of the distribution of theposition information does not indicate the “downward direction” (NO inS2706), as with the case where the touch information items of bothtouchpads are absent (NO in S2703), the direction determining unit 2401determines the direction of the operating device 31 as the “indefinitedirection” (S2708).

This is the end of the description of the longitudinal-holding directiondetermining process flow in the direction determining unit 2401.

The following describes, with reference to FIGS. 28, 29A, and 29B,process flows of the distribution of position information determiningprocess for the right touchpad (S2601) and the distribution of positioninformation determining process for the left touchpad (S2602) shown inFIG. 26, and process flows of the distribution of position informationdetermining process for the right touchpad (S2701) and the distributionof position information determining process for the left touchpad(S2702) shown in FIG. 27.

First, the direction determining unit 2401 checks the presence orabsence of the touch information 1000 read out from the touchinformation table 1100 (S2801).

Here, when the read touch information 1000 is absent (NO in S2801), thedirection determining unit 2401 determines a direction of the operatingdevice 31 as the “indefinite direction” (S2808).

On the other hand, when the read touch information 1000 is present (YESin S2801), the direction determining unit 2401 reads out a distributionof position information held within (S2802).

Specifically, when the direction determining unit 2401 determines adistribution of position information for the right touchpad 802, thedirection determining unit 2401 reads out a distribution of positioninformation (for right finger) at the time of the correct direction anda distribution of position information (for right finger) at the time ofthe reverse direction which are shown in FIGS. 29A and 29B. Then, whenthe direction determining unit 2401 determines a distribution ofposition information for the left touchpad 803, the directiondetermining unit 2401 reads out a distribution of position information(for left finger) at the time of the correct direction and adistribution of position information (for left finger) at the time ofthe reverse direction which are shown in FIGS. 29A and 29B.

Next, the direction determining unit 2401 calculates a degree ofcorrelation between the touch information 1000 read out in the touchinformation checking process (S2801) and the distribution of theposition information read out in the distribution of positioninformation readout process (S2802) (S2803). In the calculation of thedegree of correlation, the number of position information items 1003 inthe distribution of the position information at the time of the correctdirection and the number of position information items 1003 in thedistribution of the position information at the time of the reversedirection are calculated, the distributions being read out in thedistribution of position information readout process (S2802).

For instance, in examples shown in FIGS. 29A and 29B, each of tenposition information items 1003 at points A to J (five positioninformation 1003 of the right touchpad 802 and five position information1003 of the left touchpad 803) is read out as the touch information1000. In this case, the ten position information items at points A to Jare included in the “distribution of the position information at thetime of the correct direction” in FIG. 29A, and thus a degree ofcorrelation can be calculated as “10”. On the other hand, four positioninformation items at points C, D, G, and I are included in “thedistribution of the position information at the time of the reversedirection” in FIG. 29B, and thus a degree of correlation can becalculated as “4”.

Next, the direction determining unit 2401 checks whether or not bothdegrees of correlation calculated in the degree of correlationcalculation process (S2803) indicate “0” (S2804).

Here, when both degrees of correlation indicate “0” (YES in S2804), thedirection determining unit 2401 cannot determine a direction of theoperating device 31 from the degrees of correlation, and thus determinesthe direction of the operating device 31 as the “indefinite direction”(S2808).

On the other hand, when at least one of the two degrees of correlationdoes not indicate “0” (NO in S2804), the direction determining unit 2401checks, for the degrees of correlation calculated in the degree ofcorrelation calculation process (S2803), whether or not (a degree ofcorrelation between touch information and a distribution of positioninformation at the time of correct direction)≧(a degree of correlationbetween touch information and a distribution of position information atthe time of reverse direction) is satisfied (S2805).

Here, when (a degree of correlation between touch information and adistribution of position information at the time of correctdirection)≧(a degree of correlation between touch information and adistribution of position information at the time of reverse direction)is satisfied (YES in S2805), the position information 1003 in the touchinformation 1000 has a high degree of correlation with positioninformation at the time of correct direction, and thus the directiondetermining unit 2401 determines the direction of the operating device31 as the “upward direction” (S2806).

On the other hand, when (a degree of correlation between touchinformation and a distribution of position information at the time ofcorrect direction)<(a degree of correlation between touch informationand a distribution of position information at the time of reversedirection) is satisfied (NO in S2805), the position information 1003 inthe touch information 1000 has a high degree of correlation withposition information at the time of reverse direction, and thus thedirection determining unit 2401 determines the direction of theoperating device 31 as the “downward direction” (S2807).

This is the end of the description of the process flow of thedistribution of position information determining process for the righttouchpad (S2601) and the distribution of position informationdetermining process for the left touchpad (S2602) shown in FIG. 26, andthe process flows of the distribution of position informationdetermining process for the right touchpad (S2701) and the distributionof position information determining process for the left touchpad(S2702) shown in FIG. 27.

This is the end of the description of the process flow of the screendisplay apparatus 5 according to Embodiment 5.

With the above-described configuration, the touch informationaccumulation unit 902 of the screen display apparatus 5 accumulates thetouch information 1000 detected by the touch information detecting unit901. Then, the direction determining unit 2401 determines the directionof the operating device 31 using the distribution of the positioninformation 1003 in the touch information 1000. The cursor positiondetermining unit 1704 properly corrects the position information 1003 inthe touch information 1000 received from the touch information detectingunit 901, depending on the direction of the operating device 31, anddetermines a display position of a cursor.

Thus, even when the user holds the operating device 31 in any direction,the screen display apparatus 5 makes it possible to properly andautomatically determine the direction of the operating device 31 basedonly on the inputs to the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad 803by the user, and display the cursor at the correct position. Therefore,the screen display apparatus 5 makes it possible to achieve thecomfortable operability for the user.

It is to be noted that “the lateral-holding direction determiningprocess (S2509, FIG. 26)” and “the longitudinal-holding directiondetermining process (S2510, FIG. 27)” shown in FIG. 25 are applied inEmbodiment 5 instead of “the lateral-holding direction determiningprocess (S1809, FIG. 19)” and “the longitudinal-holding directiondetermining process (S1810, FIG. 20)” of Embodiment 3 shown in FIG. 18.

In other words, only the direction determining processes in thedirection determining unit are substituted. In this manner, thedirection determining processes in each of Embodiments 1 to 4 may besubstituted for the direction determining processes described inEmbodiment 5.

Although only some exemplary embodiments of this invention have beendescribed in detail above, those skilled in the art will readilyappreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplaryembodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings andadvantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications areintended to be included within the scope of this invention.

The present invention is not limited only to the screen displayapparatus, and may be used as a display control device which receives aninput from an operating device having a touchpad and generates data tobe displayed by a display unit. The display control device may beincorporated into the operating device or the display unit.Alternatively, the display control device may be an independent device.Furthermore, the display control device may include the operating deviceand the display unit.

The operating device described in each embodiment may be a wireless orwired remote control. Moreover, the operating device may be other thanthe remote control, and may be physically integrated with, for instance,the display unit, the display control device, or the screen displayapparatus.

When the cursor is not used, the cursor position determining unit needsnot be included. Furthermore, when it is unnecessary to accumulate thetouch information, the touch information accumulation unit needs not beincluded. The following describes such cases with reference to FIGS. 30and 31.

FIG. 30 is a configuration diagram of a modification of the screendisplay apparatus according to Embodiment 1. An operating device 11, adisplay control device 60, and a display unit 206 are physicallyintegrated with a screen display apparatus 6 shown in FIG. 30.Consequently, directions of the screen display apparatus 6, theoperating device 11, the display control device 60, and the display unit206 match with each other.

A direction determining unit 203 determines the direction of theoperating device 11 based on characteristics resulting from an operationwith a finger. For example, a range in which the user can touch atouchpad 102 with a finger while holding the operating device 11 in handis limited due to the characteristics of the finger structure. Thus, thedirection determining unit 203 may determine the direction of theoperating device 11 using one detected touch information item, withoutusing accumulated plural touch information items, according to suchcharacteristics.

Then, a screen data generating unit 205 generates screen data dependingon the direction of the operating device 11 determined by the directiondetermining unit 203, and causes the display unit 206 to display animage or the like.

FIG. 31 is a schematic diagram showing a case where the screen displayapparatus 6 shown in FIG. 30 is used. In the screen display apparatus 6facing one of various directions, an image or the like is displayed in aproper direction corresponding to the direction. In other words, thedisplay control device 60 makes it possible to detect the properdirection for display, based on the operation with the finger, anddisplay the image or the like.

Each of Embodiments 1 to 5 has described the case where the directiondetermining unit continuously determines the direction of the operatingdevice, corrects the cursor position on the screen, generates the alertmessage, and so on. However, when the screen display apparatus includesan application monitoring unit and when the user switches the holdingdirection of the operating device such as at the time of starting anapplication and at the time of switching an application, the directiondetermining unit may determine the direction of the operating device.With this, the screen display apparatus is configured to recognize thedirection of the operating device only when required, and thus theprocessing load of the screen display apparatus is reduced.

The screen display apparatus according to each of Embodiments 1 to 5determines the direction of the operating device, using the positioninformation input on the touchpad by the user, based on thecharacteristics resulting from the operation with the finger. Thecharacteristics resulting from the operation with the finger arecharacteristics resulting from the finger structure, shape, movement,and so on. The screen display apparatus according to each of Embodiments1 to 5 determines the direction of the operating device, especiallyusing, as the characteristics, the slope of the trajectory of theposition information (a slope approximated by a straight line) and thedegree of change, or the distribution of the position information.However, the characteristics resulting from the operation with thefinger are not limited to such a trajectory or distribution.

The screen display apparatus may approximate the trajectory of theposition information by a curve, and use its curvature as thecharacteristics. Moreover, the screen display apparatus may approximatethe trajectory of the position information by the curve, and use anangle between endpoints of the approximated curve. When the distributionof the position information is circular or elliptical, the screendisplay apparatus may determine whether or not a starting position ofthe circle or the ellipse is in a predetermined region on a touchpadeasy to be operated with the user's finger.

In the above description, the direction determined by the directiondetermining unit is expressed as the direction of the operating device.However, the direction may be treated as the direction intended by theuser.

The direction determining unit according to each of Embodiments 1 to 4specifies the shape of the trajectory of the position information inputon the touchpad by the user, by calculating the slope of the straightline and the degree of change. However, the direction determining unitmay hold an estimated trajectory in advance, and specify a shape of atrajectory by calculating a degree of correlation or a degree ofdeviation between a trajectory of position information input on thetouchpad by the user and a trajectory held in advance.

The touchpad according to each of Embodiments 1 to 5 obtainstwo-dimensional coordinate values of the x coordinate and the ycoordinate as the position information input on the touchpad by theuser. A touchpad may be used which can obtain three-dimensionalcoordinate values including a z coordinate (a z-axis direction).

Such a touchpad can obtain, for a touch operation or a click operationby the user, information including the z-axial strength. As a result,the input by the user is expressed as area. Thus, the directiondetermining unit may determine the direction of the operating device byrecognizing the shape of the user's finger based on the shape of thearea expressing the input.

Moreover, the trajectory of the position information at the time whenthe direction determining unit determines that the trajectory indicatesthe “correction direction” may be stored (learned) in Embodiments 1 to4. The stored trajectory may be used in a subsequent directiondetermining process. Likewise, the distribution of the positioninformation on the touchpad may be stored (learned) in Embodiment 5.

For instance, in the direction determining process, an effect ofadapting to a user's habit or the like can be expected by calculating adegree of correlation or a degree of deviation between the trajectory ofthe position information input on the touchpad by the user and a learnedtrajectory.

In Embodiments 1 to 5, when the user longitudinally holds an operatingdevice having two or more touchpads, the direction determining unit maydetermine that a direction of one of the touchpads having a greateramount (number) of touch information is an upward direction intended bythe user.

Embodiment 4 has described the example where the direction of theoperating device 41 determined by the direction determining unit 1703 iscompared with the direction of the operating device 41 detected by thesecond sensor 2205. The display control device 40 may compare thedirection of the operating device 41 determined by the directiondetermining unit 1703 with a pre-fixed direction of the coordinatesystems on the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad 803. When thedirection does not match the pre-fixed direction, the display controldevice 40 may generate and display an alert message or the like on thedisplay unit 206.

In Embodiment 4, when the switching of the holding direction of theoperating device 41 by the user is detected or the next direction of theoperating device 41 is recognized by the direction determining unit 1703after once the alert message is displayed, the screen data generatingunit 2202 may delete a previously displayed alert message.

A method of alerting is not only limited to the method of generating analert message performed by the alert data generating unit 2201 inEmbodiment 4. The screen display apparatus may include an alert unitoutside the display control device 40. When the direction of theoperating device determined by the direction determining unit does notmatch the pre-fixed direction of the coordinate systems on the touchpadsor the direction of the operating device detected by the sensor, thealert unit may present an alert to the user through various feedbackmethods. For example, the alert may be presented by applying variousmethods of changing a color or shape of an object on a screen, notifyingwith sound, and so on.

Embodiment 4 has described the case of the screen display apparatusincluding both of the first sensor 2204 and the second sensor 2205.However, the screen display apparatus may include only one of thesensors. This configuration also makes it possible to achieve the sameprocess.

In this case, the screen display apparatus including only the firstsensor 2204 compares, with the direction of the operating devicedetermined by the direction determining unit 1703, the direction of thecoordinate systems on the touchpads which is pre-fixed based on theholding direction of the operating device detected by the first sensor2204. In contrast, the screen display apparatus including only thesecond sensor 2205 compares, with the direction of the operating devicedetermined by the direction determining unit 1703, the direction of theoperating device based on one of the upward and downward directionsdetected by the second sensor 2205.

The direction determining unit 1703 according to Embodiment 4 candetermine the direction using information obtained from each of thefirst sensor 2204, the second sensor 2205, the right touchpad 802, andthe left touchpad 803, or from a given combination of these. Forinstance, the direction determining unit 1703 can determine thedirection using information obtained from each of the second sensor 2205and the left touchpad 803.

Moreover, the direction determining unit 1703 may check the validity ofthe direction using another information obtained from each of the firstsensor 2204, the second sensor 2205, the right touchpad 802, and theleft touchpad 803, or from a given combination of these. In other words,the direction determining unit 1703 may check the validity of thedirection by determining whether or not a direction estimated, based onthe other information, as the direction intended by the user matches thedirection determined based on the characteristics resulting from theoperation with the finger.

For example, the direction determining unit 1703 may check whether ornot a direction estimated from information obtained from each of thefirst sensor 2204 and the second sensor 2205 matches a directiondetermined using information obtained from each of the right touchpad802 and the left touchpad 803. Then, when they match each other, thecursor position determining unit 2203 may determine a cursor position,and when they do not match each other, the alert data generating unit2201 may generate alert data.

When the direction determined by the direction determining unit 1703 isdifferent from a direction predetermined in the operating device 41, thecursor position determining unit 2203 may determine the cursor positionby correcting a cursor position determined according to thepredetermined direction. Alternatively, when the direction determined bythe direction determining unit 1703 is different from the directionpredetermined in the operating device 41, the alert data generating unit2201 may generate the alert data.

In Embodiments 1 to 5, at the moment when the user starts holding theoperating device, when the application is switched, when the holdingdirection of the operating device is changed within the application, orthe like, the display control device recognizes the direction of theoperating device through the operation with the finger on the touchpad.However, a case is assumed where touch information necessary for therecognition cannot be sufficiently obtained only through such an initialoperation.

In this case, the display control device may automatically perform aprocess such as the extension of a recognition time and an attempt torecognize again, or notify the user of failure in recognition.

In Embodiments 1 to 5, there is a case where, although the screendisplay apparatus has performed the cursor display based on thedetermined direction, the user performs a strange operation on thetouchpad. For instance, the user sometimes performs an operation such asa frequent operation in a region where there is no object to be selectedon the screen and the repetitive rotation or the like of the finger onthe touchpad. In this case, the screen display apparatus may determinethat the determined direction of the operating device is wronglyrecognized, and perform a process of reversing the determined directionof the operating device to an upper-lower direction automatically orafter checking with the user.

In Embodiments 1 to 5, there is a case where, although the screendisplay apparatus has performed the cursor display based on thedetermined direction, the user switches the holding direction of theoperating device by reversing the operating device to the upper-lowerdirection. In this case, it is determined that the direction determinedby the screen display apparatus has been wrongly recognized. As aresult, the screen display apparatus does not need to recognize thedirection of the operating device immediately after the user switchesthe holding direction of the operating device. The screen displayapparatus may recognize again the direction of the operating device whenthe application is switched next time or when the user switches theholding direction of the operating device after the elapse of apredetermined time.

In Embodiments 1 to 5, the screen display apparatus may present anapplication screen to the user so that the user naturally operates thetouchpad. For example, it is possible to consider a method ofpresenting, as part of the application, a GUI such as opening a doorwith both hands when the lateral holding and the longitudinal holding ofthe operating device is switched between at the start of the applicationand within the same application.

The screen display apparatus makes it possible to cause the user to beleast aware of a special operation for recognizing the direction of theoperating device, by incorporating such a GUI into the application, andto increase the accuracy of recognizing the direction of the operatingdevice accordingly.

In Embodiments 1 to 5, the screen display apparatus may present a GUIwhich indicates whether or not the direction of the operating device hasbeen determined. It is possible to conceive, as the GUI, various methodssuch as changing a color and a depth, changing an object on the screen,a cursor position and shape, or the like, displaying a message, andnotifying with sound.

For instance, before the direction of the operating device isdetermined, the screen display apparatus may perform transmissivedisplay (a display) such as increasing the transmissivity of a cursorimage, or display no cursor. After the direction of the operating deviceis determined, the screen display apparatus may display the cursor imageas usual.

Embodiments 2 to 5 have described the case of the operating deviceincluding the two touchpads on its top surface. The configurationdescribed in each of Embodiments 2 to 5 may be applied to an operatingdevice including at least three touchpads on its top surface, anoperating device collectively including a plurality of touchpads on bothits top and bottom (back) surfaces, and so on.

Alternatively, the screen display apparatus may detect touches from onetouchpad compatible with multi-touch. For example, even when the screendisplay apparatus according to each of Embodiments 2 to 5 includes onlyone touchpad, the screen display apparatus makes it possible to performthe same process by detecting touches with the finger from the onetouchpad.

Embodiments 2 to 5 have described the case where the cursor display isfree pointing (a free cursor). However, such display for the touchpadmay be display by focusing on a specific object or the like.

Embodiments 2 to 5 have described the case where the two independentcursors are displayed for the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad803, respectively. However, a cursor common to the right touchpad 802and the left touchpad 803 may be displayed. Different regions on thescreen may be assigned to the right touchpad 802 and the left touchpad803, respectively.

In the case of a screen display apparatus including a touchpad on a backsurface of an output unit such as a screen, the user operates thetouchpad with a finger other than a thumb (e.g., an index finger and amiddle finger). Even in such a case, it goes without saying that theeffect of the present invention can be obtained by using thecharacteristics resulting from the structure, shape, movement, and thelike of each finger of a person.

The constituent elements of the display control device shown in FIGS. 2,9, 17, 22, 24, and 30 may be realized as an LSI (Large ScaleIntegration) that is an integrated circuit. The constituent elements maybe individually integrated on one chip or part or all of the constituentelements may be integrated on one chip. Although the LSI is mentionedhere, the integrated circuit can also be called an IC (IntegratedCircuit), a system LSI, a super LSI, and an ultra LSI, depending ondifferences in the degree of integration.

Furthermore, the method of circuit integration is not limited to LSIs,and implementation through a dedicated circuit or a general-purposeprocessor is also possible. A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) whichallows programming after LSI manufacturing or a reconfigurable processorwhich allows reconfiguration of the connections and settings of thecircuit cells inside the LSI may also be used.

In addition, depending on the emergence of circuit integrationtechnology that replaces LSI due to progress in semiconductor technologyor other derivative technology, it is obvious that such technology maybe used to integrate the constituent elements in the display controldevice.

Among the constituent elements of the display control device, only theunit which stores data may have a different configuration without beingintegrated on one chip.

The present invention can be realized not only as the display controldevice but also as a method including, as steps, processing unitsincluded in the display control device. The method is typically executedby a computer. Moreover, the present invention can be realized as aprogram causing the computer to execute the method. Furthermore, thepresent invention can be realized as a computer-readable recordingmedium on which the program is recorded such as a CD-ROM.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

A display control device in the present invention properly displays animage or the like on a screen according to a user's natural operation onan operating device operated in various direction, and is applicable to,for example, a screen display apparatus such as a digital television.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   -   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Screen display apparatus    -   10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 Display control device    -   11, 21, 31, 41 Operating device    -   101, 801, 1601 Remote control    -   102 Touchpad    -   103, 804 Finger    -   104, 805 Screen    -   105, 806 Cursor    -   106 Eye    -   201, 901 Touch information detecting unit    -   202, 902 Touch information accumulation unit    -   203, 903, 1703, 2401 Direction determining unit    -   204, 904, 1704, 2203 Cursor position determining unit    -   205, 905, 2202 Screen data generating unit    -   206, 906 Display unit    -   300, 1000 Touch information    -   301, 1002 Operation ID    -   302, 1003 Position information    -   400, 1100 Touch information table    -   802 Right touchpad    -   803 Left touchpad    -   1001 Touchpad ID    -   1701 Sensor    -   1702 Sensor information detecting unit    -   2201 Alert data generating unit    -   2204 First sensor    -   2205 Second sensor

1. A display control device which receives a signal from an operatingdevice having a touchpad and generates screen data to be displayed on ascreen, said display control device comprising: a touch informationdetecting unit configured to detect touch information including positioninformation about a position on the touchpad that is touched with afinger of a user during operation of the touchpad; an applicationmonitoring unit configured to monitor a start of an application; adirection determining unit configured to determine, when the applicationmonitored by said application monitoring unit starts, a directionintended by the user, using a characteristic which is indicated by thetouch information detected by said touch information detecting unit andwhich results from a structure of the finger; and a screen datagenerating unit configured to generate the screen data depending on thedirection determined by said direction determining unit.
 2. The displaycontrol device according to claim 1, wherein said screen data generatingunit is configured to change a cursor indicating a pointing position onthe screen, depending on whether said direction determining unit has orhas not determined the direction, and generate screen data indicatingwhether said direction determining unit has or has not determined thedirection.
 3. The display control device according to claim 1, whereinsaid direction determining unit is configured to determine, using thecharacteristic, the direction that is an upward, downward, left, orright direction on the touchpad as viewed by the user.
 4. The displaycontrol device according to claim 1, wherein said direction determiningunit is configured to determine, using the characteristic, the directionthat is a direction of the operating device.
 5. The display controldevice according to claim 1, further comprising a touch informationaccumulation unit configured to accumulate a plurality of touchinformation items including the touch information detected by said touchinformation detecting unit, wherein said direction determining unit isconfigured to determine the direction using the characteristic indicatedby the touch information items accumulated by said touch informationaccumulation unit.
 6. The display control device according to claim 5,wherein said direction determining unit is configured to determine thedirection using the characteristic that is a shape of a trajectoryformed by a transition indicated by a plurality of position informationitems in the touch information items.
 7. The display control deviceaccording to claim 6, wherein said direction determining unit isconfigured to determine the direction such that (i) when the trajectoryis convex, a convex side of the trajectory is an upper side or (ii) whenthe trajectory is concave, a concave side of the trajectory is a lowerside.
 8. The display control device according to claim 5, wherein saiddirection determining unit is configured to determine the directionusing the characteristic that is a distribution indicated by a pluralityof position information items in the touch information items.
 9. Thedisplay control device according to claim 1, further comprising a cursorposition determining unit configured to determine a display position ofa cursor indicating a pointing position on the screen, from the positioninformation in the touch information detected by said touch informationdetecting unit, wherein said cursor position determining unit isconfigured to determine the display position depending on the directiondetermined by said direction determining unit, and said screen datagenerating unit is configured to generate the screen data for displayingthe cursor at the display position determined by said cursor positiondetermining unit.
 10. The display control device according to claim 9,wherein said cursor position determining unit is configured to correct,when the direction determined by said direction determining unit isdifferent from a predetermined direction for the operating device, thedisplay position determined by the position information and thepredetermined direction, to determine the display position.
 11. Thedisplay control device according to claim 1, further comprising an alertdata generating unit configured to generate alert data for notifying theuser of an alert, wherein said alert data generating unit is configuredto generate the alert data when the direction determined by saiddirection determining unit is different from a predetermined directionfor the operating device.
 12. A display control method for receiving asignal from an operating device having a touchpad, and generating screendata to be displayed on a screen, said display control methodcomprising: detecting touch information including position informationabout a position on the touchpad that is touched with a finger of a userduring operation of the touchpad; monitoring a start of an application;determining, when the application monitored in said monitoring starts, adirection intended by the user, using a characteristic which isindicated by the touch information detected in said detecting and whichresults from a structure of the finger; and generating the screen datadepending on the direction determined in said determining.